Date:         Sat, 15 Jul 2000 23:48:16 -0400
Reply-To:     Kristi Avera <kravera@DATASYS.NET>
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Kristi Avera <kravera@DATASYS.NET>
Subject:      Grassy Pond
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

GABbers,

This afternoon at the Grassy Pond area in Lowndes County, there were at
least 4 adult PURPLE GALLINULES and one juvenile at Lott's Pond. There were
very actively foraging among the lily pads. There were also 3 adult WOOD
STORKS that were quite sedentary. This is the first time I have seen Wood
Storks at Grassy Pond.

A group of about 60 - 70 PURPLE MARTINS kept congregating on the tops of
the live oak trees, then flying over the grassy areas, then back to the
tree tops. They would then fly much higher and end up back in the trees
again. Then feeding time over the meadows again. They all appeared to be
females and/or juveniles. I observed this behavior for about 45 minutes.
When I went back to that area an hour later, they were no longer there.

Also, at Grassy Pond were three fledgling BOAT-TAILED GRACKLES  (females),
one other female, and one adult male. The presumed fledglings were clumsily
trying to catch insects in the lotus, pickerel weed, and hyacinths. After a
short time, they would disappear into the thicket of button bush, wax
myrtle, and red maple. The adult male (brown-eyed) carried food to the
brush area and stayed for a few minutes. He came out again, got more food
(cheese puffs from the picnic area, to be exact) and flew into a live oak
to eat it. Any comments on the male feeding behavior? To my knowledge, we
have few nesting records of the Boat-tailed Grackle in Lowndes County, so I
considered this noteworthy.

35 species inland in a 2 mile radius during mid-afternoon at 95 degrees F
is not too bad! Then I went across the border to pick up 41 species to
finish up the afternoon.

Kristi

Kristi Avera
Lake Park, GA
kravera@datasys.net