Date:         Wed, 16 Apr 2003 14:37:42 EDT
Reply-To:     RopersFive@AOL.COM
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Dan Roper <RopersFive@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Berry College Snow Loops 4/16
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Ladies and Gents,

I bicycled Berry College's Snow Loop (clockwise, beginning at Frost Chapel)
at lunchtime today.  Since I was moving at a good clip, I did not intensively
bird any area but I got a good "snapshot" of different songs, especially
while heading up Lavender Mtn at a much slower speed.  I heard a red-winged
blackbird (on the Mountain Campus, which seems like and odd place for them),
numerous prairie warblers (at the base of the mountain), several
black-throated green warblers on the mountain, one worm-eating warbler
(shortly after the road begins the long climb up the mountain), one pileated
woodpecker, lots of cardinals, Carolina chickadees, Carolina wrens, and what
sounded like a bunch of grosbeaks (tentatively identified as either
red-breasted or blue).  These were on the stretch of road on the north side
of the mountain between Redmond Gap and the unnamed (I think) gap above the
old mill.

At the latter gap I came up on a mountain biker stopped by the road.  I
slowed down to say hello.  He was not at all friendly, but then I noticed he
had a tape recorder and microphone, so I was interupting him.  I skedaddled
before he got really angry.  I suspect he was tape recording bird songs to
listen to later at home where he could compare them to field guide tapes.

Spring flowers are really showing off now.  There were scattered clusters of
birds-foot violet, several large colonies of fire pink (especially at Redmond
Gap) and spider wort (at Redmond Gap and the unnamed gap) and also "regular"
violet.  There is a large patch of strawberry bush in bloom on the north side
of Lavender Mtn where I heard the grosbeaks.  Fringe tree is about to bloom.
Wild geranium ought to be in the woods near the reservoir dam and dwarf
crested iris near the old mill.  Dogwood is really showing off all over the
mountain and Mountain Campus.

Lovely day.

Sincerely,

Dan Roper

                            **********
To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to
http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html

To contact a listowner, send message to
GABO-L-request@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU

To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to
http://www.gos.org/gabo.html