Date: Sun, 7 May 2006 20:00:59 -0400
Reply-To: Ken Blankenship <kenhblankenship@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: Ken Blankenship <kenhblankenship@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Rabun County; Black-billed Cuckoo 5/5-5/7
I stayed in a cabin on Lake Seed in Rabun County from Friday-Sunday
with "the boys" to celebrate the end of my bachelorhood. They said the
weekend was all about me, but when I said birdwatching would be nice they
kind of rolled their eyes. Still, just in the immediate vicinity of the
cabin were all kinds of great mountain breeding birds and migrants.
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO 1
Whip-poor-will 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Eastern Phoebe 2 (busy parents with nest in a boathouse)
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Northern Parula 4
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Yellow-throated Warbler 3
Pine Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Ovenbird 3
Hooded Warbler 5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
We were fishing in the canoe when I heard the BBCU start calling. I told
my buddy "Listen!" It was unmistakable - as if someone were standing in
the woods playing the Stokes CD. We rowed over to that shore as fast as we
could, and I was ready to jump ship and head into the jungle but it never
called again - stealthy bugger! I have still never seen one, but this
counts for the year list! (Not quite happy enough - not having seen it -
for satisfactory lifer status, however.)
A Whip-poor-will came down and called from on top of the natural gas tank
in the front yard, and didn't fly off until I was 10 yards away. I
couldn't see it until it flushed - but it was calling right in my face.
Cool bird.
I had another "lifer" - caught my first Walleye at night from the
boathouse.
Finally... WOW, what a weekend for cool birds across in the state! I go
away from the internet for three days and I'm reading all these spp. and
my head is spinning. Must... get... out... must... see... all these...
birds! ;)
Ken Blankenship
Marietta, GA (Cobb County)
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