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Floodplain birding in Pitt County, NC



Carolinabirders,
 
This morning Ken Harrell and I birded one of the areas in Pitt County which had been covered by the flood waters of Hurricane Floyd.  Specifically, the Greenville sewage treatment plant property (pastures, spray fields, etc) was our target.  There is a pasture there which develops a long-lasting pond during rainy periods. 
 
Birds there included about 100 ducks (Blue and Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, and three Pintail) and several Coots.  Shorebirds were also plentiful and included many Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, two Long-billed Dowitchers, one Dunlin and one Black-bellied Plover.  Lots of Tree Swallows were also feeding over the area. 
 
The commercial catfish ponds, located near Tranters Creek, escaped flooding.  There we saw the two adult Bald Eagles which nest in the vicinity, and two of their young of the year.  They fledged three eaglets this summer.
 
Nearby is a very large (approx 400 acre) clearcut with brush and stumps in long rows.  The sparrows are not there in force yet, but this area will probably have great sparrow potential this fall and winter.
 
I have been off line for about 10 days because of computer problems.  I lost all of my "saved" email and addresses.  If you sent me anything recently, you may want to send it again. 
 
John S. Wright
Greenville, NC
jwright@skantech.net