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Ash-throat, NO; Rough-leg, Yes



Ricky Davis and I declided to skip a day of work to look for the
Ash-throated Flycatcher yesterday (Mon, Dec. 13). Alas, the bird is
gone. Wade Fuller and Larry Crawford came up from New Bern and spent
time searching with us all over Pea and Bodie I. Around 9:30 we did see
a very contented Merlin perched on a dead tree in the dunes near the Pea
I. Coast Guard building.

My conclusion: The (a) Merlin may have taken the flycatcher. Of course,
the bird could have migrated out the night before, but that seems
unlikely. It could have flown several miles away during the day. But --
maybe there is a very good reason that few flycatchers are seen on the
Outer Banks in the fall -- i.e., hardly any Phoebes, despite the
abundance of mosquitos. And, why rare flycatchers such as Western
Kingbird and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Vermillion Flycatcher, etc, are
"one-day wonders". A flycatcher is a sitting duck for a Merlin (maybe
not so much for a Peregrine Falcon), and they aren't likely to dart into
a thick shrub like other birds might, at the approach of a Merlin.

I hope I'm wrong about my Merlin theory, but ..

We did see the Rough-legged Hawk at Alligator River NWR. It's an adult
male light phase, presumably the same bird that was here last winter. We
saw it from Long Curve Road, but not from Milltail Rd. If you don't see
it from Milltail, turn left on Long Curve and look carefully for the
next 2-3 miles to your left. We saw it in front of the landfill, perched
on the ground and hovering over the fields. We also saw a bear from
Milltail. Lots of swans in the fields, and large numbers of puddle ducks
at a distance. Last winter, I saw two Red Wolves in these fields, in the
middle of the day!

Yes -- definitely stop by the refuge on your way to and from the Outer
Banks.

Harry LeGrand
--
Harry E. LeGrand, Jr.
N.C. Natural Heritage Program
Division of Parks and Recreation
1615 MSC
Raleigh, NC 27699-1615

Office: (919) 715-8687
Home: (919) 832-3202
FAX: (919) 715-3085
e-mail: harry.legrand@ncmail.net
http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/nhp/index.html