Birders,
On this warm, finally spring day, Dorothy Tella and I birded the Phelps
Wildlife Management Area near Sumerduck, (Curtis parking lot off Roger's
Ford Road.) As we began our walk, a gang of YELLOW-SHAFTED FLICKERS (17 in
all) burst from the undergrowth and flew into trees. We got great looks at 4
BLACK AND WHITE WARBLERS along the trail. PINE WARBLERS sang and BLUE-GRAY
GNATCATCHERS flitted in the tree tops . In the woods near the pond, we found
just one YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. At the wetlands were 10 WOOD DUCK, a pair
of HOODED MERGANSERS, 7 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 1 PIED-BILLED GREBE, a pair of
BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 2 MALLARDS, a pair of EASTERN PHOEBES, several TREE
SWALLOWS, soaring RED-TAILED HAWKS, and a fly-over DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANTS. There were still a few JUNCOS on the path, EASTERN TOWHEES and
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS along the edges, and FIELD SPARROWS in the deep
grass. Bird song was occasionally drowned out by some sort of beagle/hound
dog who barked incessantly and was seemingly on the trail of something and
crossed our path once but from the sound of it, must have covered about five
miles in his quest to get to whatever it was. We also photograghed an
interesting lizard flat against a tree trunk, and are currently studying
photos to determine its identity.
Linda Millington
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