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MORE ARTICLES 2009 - 2011 |
August, 2011, Lakes north of
Greensboro
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Birding Trail at Wilkesboro Banded Geese in Guilford County Yadkin River Greenway Audubon Christmas Bird Count Sylvan Heights Where Have All the Warblers Gone? Greensboro Shorebirding Helping Baby Squirrels History & Archives: The Beginning History & Archives: The 1940's |
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Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park
http://shwpark.com/
We took a trip to Sylvan heights last in 2006 - here is a link to the article about that trip. |
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Yadkin
River Greenway
We had excellent weather in Wilkesboro and a good birding day Saturday. Jodi started off the day right with authentic Cuban Coffee and pastries as we prepared for the walk. Red Winged Blackbird and Grackle flocks were flying over the parking lot as we enjoyed the refreshments. A nice V of Canada Geese and a lone Killdeer did a nice flyby. We had participants from Boone Audubon, Forsyth Audubon, Forsyth Tech Class, Local Talent (Jack) as well as walk-ons (Mike & Eva). We were lucky to have Jack Ogburn as he is the local expert who has documented rarer birds at the YRG in the past and he is the one that spotted our "Big Ticket" bird of the day. The first leg of the walk took us along the jogging track behind the YMCA. An Immature Red Tailed Hawk landed in the tree line and sat for 3 or 4 minutes so that everyone got a good look at our common raptor The next leg of the walk took us off the paved path and over to the banks of the Yadkin where we quickly tagged two wren species - House Wren - I think Marilyn got that one and the ever-present Carolina Wren was seen by many. Then there was the Winter Wren. We kept hearing him sing but he would not cooperate and denied us the triumvirate as no one was able to spot him. Several Yellow Rumped Warblers were flitting about and we also heard the White Throated Sparrows singing "Old Sam". The next bit of excitement was the small flock of Golden Crowned Kinglets that came in close for some good looks. Also in that first section was a Great Blue Heron that posed patiently and several members saw a pair of Wood Ducks. Next up was the Sports Fields where the various Sandpipers had been several weeks back but not much was happening Saturday. |
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Well, I learned a few things today - starting with the fact that Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro are 2 separate entities. One is on the North side of the Yadkin River and one on the South. The other thing is that the "Strip" that you see going up 421 to Boone (my youngest is a freshman at App) bears no resemblance to the Town of Wilkesboro - especially the Historic section. I went up to Wilkesboro to scout out the NC Birding Trail locations where we will be conducting walks over the next few weeks. Jodi Frichner was my gracious hostess as she shepherded me around the county. We went to Whippoorwill Academy first. This spot has a variety of habitats from pastureland to overgrown field areas to bamboo forests to hardwood forest and a trail that leads to the Yadkin to top it off with Riparian. The trail has a drop off on one side so that you can look out into the trees instead of straight up all the time. We spent time with the owner and did a little semi-serious birding. We saw both kinglets, chippies, Field Sparrow, Waxwings, House Wren, but the big prize was a Winter Wren along the Yadkin. Not only did we see it but to my surprise it was also singing its very high pitched melody! As we walked back up from the Yadkin, we spotted a thrush - unfortunately due to the backlit position it was in, we did not get good enough looks to decide whether or not it was a Swainson's or a Gray-cheeked. We left there and went to the Greenway. I should probably clarify that, we went to one of the 8 different Trail Heads for the Greenway. The walk that Jodi picked is the one were the Upland and Buff-breasted Sandpipers have been spotted in the past. We did not see those species (either would have been a lifer for both of us) but the Killdeer were abundant. We will have the walk up there this Saturday if weather permits - if not we will try again on Sunday. Again, the habitat is varied along this section with open fields, overgrown fields and riparian. It looked like a cross between the Muddy Creek Greenway and the Yadkin in Tanglewood. Plenty of chippies again, Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Red-tailed and Cooper's Hawks - and then we hit a flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers that had at least one maybe two Palms with a Blue-headed Vireo for good measure. We ran out of time long before I was ready to quit (as usual) - so we drove to some of the other Trail Heads and got out for a quick peek. The other sections also border the Yadkin and looked very promising. To top off the morning and early afternoon activities, we drove the short distance back to the Historic District for lunch. There is an authentic Cuban Sandwich place right on Main Street that has excellent sandwiches. I got a #2 Cuban Sandwich on authentic Cuban Bread that had been toasted in something like a Panini Press - I usually eat half a sandwich for lunch but I couldn't stop until I had wolfed it all down. The owner and his wife both came out and talked with us - they have moved up here recently from Florida. It is a great, friendly place to round out a morning's birding session. I guess you can tell I was impressed with both the birding locations which actually are many more than that if you consider all the sections of the Greenway - there was a brief article on the Greenway in the September issue of Southern Living. I highly recommend making the hour drive when you are up for an outing and am looking forward to the walks that we will have up there. I will be scouting out the Kerr Scott Waterfowl Impoundment some time in November in prep for the Dec 12 walk up there - really looking forward to that one too. Rob Rogers |
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Tagged Canada Geese in Guilford County You may be noticing Canada Geese in Guilford County with bands, or tags. Here is some information about that! Liz Rutledge, a
researcher from NC State, was studying the movements, preferences and impact of
Canada Geese in western Guilford County. Funded by the Federal Aviation
Administration, her study includes the neck-banding of 800 geese and the use of
GPS transmitters on over a dozen geese. She has reached the end of her project now and is no longer collecting
data, so if you see the tagged geese (and there are still a number around, and
can be seen in various localities near the airport, Country Park, etc. you do
not need to try to report them. |
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Audubon Christmas Bird Count: Longest-running Citizen
Science Survey in the World by Elizabeth Link This December marks the 111th anniversary of the first Christmas Bird Count, and on Saturday, December 18,25 to 30 birders from the Piedmont Bird Club will head out into the 10 territories of the Greensboro count circle to count every bird that they can find during the 24-hour period. While this is a large and enthusiastic group, it averages out to 2 to 3 people per territory, so we’re always looking for volunteers to help out. The first Christmas Bird count was organized by a group of people who were concerned that hunting was causing unsustainable declines in some bird populations. It was traditional to hold a “side hunt” on Christmas Day, in which teams of hunters competed to see which side could shoot the most birds, so these concerned citizens decided to count birds rather than shoot them. The effort quickly grew from a handful of local counts on that first Christmas, to a widespread effort that now includes over 2000 count areas and almost 60,000 individuals in the U.S., along with counts in South and Central America and even Antarctica. The first count in Greensboro was conducted on December 24, 1944, by one individual (no record on the Christmas Count web site of who the person was) who located 82 species – among them 64 Bobwhite, 2 Barn Owls, 2 Loggerhead Shrikes, and no House Finches. Each Audubon Christmas Bird Count is conducted within a “count circle”, a circle 15 miles in diameter that is fixed in the same location year to year. The center of the Greensboro count circle was established as the WBIG radio tower on Battleground Avenue, now the location of a Lowe’s home improvement store, and has remained the same since that first count. Only birds that are within the count circle can be included in the count. The Count Day is 24 hours, from midnight to midnight, and must take place between December 14 and anuary 5. The Greensboro count is usually on the last Saturday before Christmas. In addition to birds recorded on the Count Day, there are Count Week birds that can be recorded. These are birds that are seen between the Wednesday before the count and the Tuesday after the count – but only if that species was not recorded on Count Day. The data gathered during the Christmas Counts around the country are useful because of the long period of time over which it has been gathered. Bird count data have been used to document fluctuations in bird populations and the increase or shrinkage of geographic ranges, and have been the basis for initiating conservation efforts for bird species found to be in serious decline. We can always use volunteers for the Christmas Count. If you would like to go out and help cover a territory, you will be paired with birders who have previous experience in doing the Christmas Count. For those who’d like to participate but aren’t up for getting out in the field, watching the feeder in your backyard is a good way to contribute to the count. You will need to register in advance with the Count Coordinator, Elizabeth Link, to participate. For more information about participation in the Christmas Count, please contact Elizabeth at elzlink@yahoo.com. |
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Where Have All the Warblers Gone? – by George Wheaton As the daylight grows short and we begin hosting our winter avian visitors, birders often ask, “Where have our warblers gone?” The answer, often given between chattering teeth, is “South.” While this, of course, is generally true, it really begs some questions: “How far south? Just where do you mean by south?” Somewhat surprisingly, virtually none of the field guides we use in North America describes the destinations of our wood warblers (or of most other species for that matter) as they head “south” to warmer climes and more dependable food supplies. In Guilford County we are blessed with a very good assortment of warblers during spring and fall migration. Some species stay here to breed. Many others push farther north into the upper Midwest, New England, and southern Canada. Once the chores of raising a family are over, most species begin their journeys southward to more hospitable wintering grounds. During the course of this avian ebb and flow, roughly 30 species of warblers regularly pass through the Greensboro area, with another half dozen or so remotely possible (the ones that make a birder’s heart pound). Two species, the resident Pine Warbler and migratory Yellow-rumped Warbler, cast their winter lot with us, and in exceptionally mild winters, a few others may stick it out in the Piedmont. Most, however, leave the U.S. and stay south until their return in the spring. As migrants head south, they eventually come to a fork in the migratory
flyway. The choice is to head southeast into the island habitats of the
Caribbean or to head south or southwest into Mexico, Central America, and
beyond. For this latter group, “some go by land, others go by sea” – either
following the land route through Mexico and Central America, or crossing
the Gulf of Mexico with the incredible demands of making a 500-mile flight
without any chance to rest (except on the occasional oil rig or fishing boat). In the accompanying table, familiar warbler species are listed along with their primary wintering grounds. The table lists species according to the length (roughly estimated) of their flight from Greensboro. Those near the top of the table fly relatively short distances. Those closer to the bottom are long-distance champions, especially when one considers that some of these birds start their travel as far north as Canada! Runners-up for the most prodigious flights are: Blackpoll Warbler (Columbia
to Peru and western Brazil) and Connecticut Warbler (South America east of the
Andes to Peru and Brazil). The two cochampions of this odyssey, flying a minimum
of 3,800 miles each way during migration, are: Blackburnian Warbler, weighing in
at 0.34 ounces (Costa Rica to Bolivia); and Cerulean Warbler, at a mere 0.33
ounces (mountains of Columbia, to Venezuela and Bolivia). Next spring when these
birds return to Greensboro, take a moment to think about the distances and
obstacles they |
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Greensboro Shorebirding, or, “Where are we, Toto?” – by George Wheaton This past summer it was easy for a Greensboro birder to imagine she was getting her shorebird fix somewhere along North Carolina’s Outer Banks. It was hot, muggy, and there were shorebirds galore. The latter were present in unusually large numbers due to especially low water conditions at two of Greensboro’s reservoirs (Brandt and Townsend) and assists from Hurricane Irene and other weather systems. A decent smattering of shorebirds of different species can usually be found in Greensboro from April through at least November. Common visitors include Spotted, Solitary, Pectoral, and Least Sandpipers. The ubiquitous Killdeer can be found nearly every month in appropriate habitat. This year, however, these regular denizens were joined by another 15 or so species, some of which are seldom seen in our area. There is the exciting prospect of increasing this tally by another two to three birds before year’s end. Special conditions are required to attract an array of shorebirds this far inland. Chief among these is drought. The absence of rain leads to low water levels in our reservoirs and to the emergence of extensive and food-rich mud flats (e.g., bordering Church Street below Lake Jeanette, on the lower reaches of Reedy Fork Creek, and at the mouth of Horsepen Creek). These favorable conditions occurred in 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011. The 20 shorebird species that have been reported thus far are listed below. Particularly noteworthy sightings are indicated by an asterisk. American-Golden Plover* - 4th sighting since 1988; last seen in 2007. Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Solitary Sandpiper Spotted Sandpiper Ruddy Turnstone* - 5th & 6th sightings since 1966; last seen in 1990. Sanderling* - 3rd & 4th sightings since 1997; three or more birds this year. Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper* - Up to 12 birds; last seen in 1990 and 2002. Pectoral Sandpiper Stilt Sandpiper* - Three this year; last seen in 2002, 2007, 2010. Buff-breasted Sandpiper* - Three to four; last seen 1993 and 2007. Short-billed Dowitcher* - 4th and 5th sightings; last in 1986, 2007, 2008. Common Snipe American Woodcock Red-necked Phalarope* - 4th appearance; last seen in 1969 and 2009. This ensemble of waders was rounded out by two other major avian surprises. In spite of their affinity for coastal areas, neither is considered a “shorebird.” Both are first records for Guilford County. On August 30, three storm-blown Royal Terns put in a brief appearance on the mud flats below Lake Jeanette. Even more improbably, an apparent Clapper Rail was photographed one day earlier as it perched on the windowsill of an office building in downtown High Point. The moral of the story for inland shorebirding is to hope for strong winds and receding water levels. (Yes, as Dorothy can also attest, there is excellent shorebirding in Kansas.) |
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Helping Baby
Squirrels – story by Susan Weimer Cal and Susan Weimer recently made a trip to Piedmont Wildlife Rehab to drop off their collection of acorns for the baby and young squirrels. Her cupboard was bare, so founder and president Melissa Coe was glad for the donation. She showed Cal & Susan around the facility and explained how important it is to have the acorns to feed the squirrels, most of which cannot be released until spring because their nestbuilding skills are minimal at a young age. Susan and Cal got to feed the squirrels some of the acorns.Melissa said they would eat all day if they could, so she has to ration their access to the acorns. Not all of the more than 60 squirrels rescued this season are at her site; some are cared for at other locations throughout the county. Susan met Hansel and Gretel, two groundhogs that have been at the center for 3 years now. They would not make it in the wild because they are so used to human attention. They are great ambassadors and go with Melissa to all of the programs that she presents. Donations of acorns, native nuts, and pine cones are greatly appreciated. Also, anyone who has time to volunteer for animal care would be welcomed with open arms. In addition to mammals, Piedmont Wildlife Rehab takes in injured and orphaned birds and reptiles. Contact Melissa Coe, 273-6832, mlsscoe@aol.com, if you can help. |
Susan Weimer, Melissa Coe, Hansel and Gretel
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History & Archives: The Beginning – by Stephen Bryant The Piedmont Bird Club was started in 1938. A group of earnest citizens were protesting that too many birds were being killed by cats. So the people went to the city council to get an ordinance to help the birds out. The council said that they would only consider an ordinance if it came from an organized group. Immediately the word went out to the local citizens around the Piedmont and other areas to ask if anyone would like to join an organization. And so, on February 6, 1938, the Piedmont Bird Club was born. Dr. Wesley Taylor was the club’s first and most proud president. He was a member until his death in 1960. Unfortunately, the Bird Club has no written records of activities for the first three years. Down the road, though, the Club began documenting what they had done. The Club has records of the field trips, names of members, and events that the Piedmont Bird Club sponsored. Today’s bird club members can look back at the scrapbooks and find interesting things about the club. For example, the membership fee in 1938 was only 50 cents! Today it is $15 for an individual and $20 for a family. Also in 1938, people had fewer digits in their phone numbers than they have today. The Piedmont Bird Club has had many accomplishments and hopefully it will have many more to come.
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History & Archives: PBC in the Forties – by Stephen Bryant This article highlights some of the PBC’s activities from the 1940s. In 1941, a club library was created to hold bird books. The bird club also held its first Christmas dinner in 1941 at the Women’s Club, in honor of Ernest Thompson Seton, the award-winning wildlife illustrator, naturalist, and conservationist. This started the annual Christmas dinner still held today. In May of 1942, the club was host to the North Carolina Bird Club’s meeting. That year the bird club held its first Christmas Bird Count. In 1943, the Northern Cardinal was elected the official state bird of North Carolina. The Piedmont Bird Club sent in the most votes for the cardinal out of any club in the state. In 1944, a plan was made by the new president, Mrs. Charles M. Stewart, to make North Carolina a bird sanctuary. The club also started the first weekly Junior field trips, and held their first bird house contest. In 1945, Greensboro was declared a bird sanctuary through a city ordinance. In 1946, the Education Committee was granted 100 bird houses. These houses were put up all over Greensboro. In 1947, the Piedmont Bird Club acquired its first telescope. In 1948, the club had an important change: instead of having the officers take over in January and serve all year, elections took place in the spring. The officers would serve their term the following year. In this way, the Piedmont Bird Club’s activities would not be disturbed. In 1949, the club decided to present Jam Handy filmstrips about birds to the Audio-visual Department of the Greensboro Public School System to help teachers teach about birds in school. The 1940s was a time of many accomplishments for the Piedmont Bird Club.
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| This page last updated on 01/08/2012 |
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