Date:         Tue, 14 Nov 2006 07:31:49 -0800
Reply-To:     Eric Beohm <eric.beohm343@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Eric Beohm <eric.beohm343@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Ross's Goose, Laughing Gull, Black Scoter,
              Ducks @ WFG Lake 11/13/06
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Yesterday afternoon I was in the Columbus area and had a little time, so I hit a few places along the Chattahoochee Corridor.  There was some duck activity on the river near WFG, and there seemed to be a decent amount of birds at Lake Walter F. George near the dam (in GA), however it was getting dark fast.  Highlights:

  Ross's Goose (1 at Lake WFG near Bagby State Park)
  Laughing Gull (1 at Lake WFG near the dam)

  16 species of duck:

  Black Scoter (1)
  Canvasback (6)
  Redhead (8)
  Greater Scaup (10+)
  American Black Duck (1)
  American Wigeon (20+)
  Probable Scoter (2 way out)
  Possible Snow Goose (1 even farther)

  Dunlin (about 10)
  Rusty Blackbirds
  Vesper Sparrows
  Common Loons
  Horned Grebes
  Bonaparte's Gulls
  Herring Gulls
  Forster's Terns

  Interestingly I had three WOOD STORKS and eight WHITE IBIS in the area seen by me and others.  The Wood Storks were circling on the thermals earlier in the day.

  The ROSS'S GOOSE was a little ways out in with some ducks and coots.  It was so small I didn't even see it at first while it was behind a duck.  It even seemed small with out-stretched neck beside the ducks.  I took some photos, but I doubt they will turn out very well since the camera I usually use for digiscoping is broken.  Also, the light was fading which pretty much kills photo attempts.  I probably will have something I can put on my website though whenever I get time.

  Last week as I've already mentioned, Darlene Moore and I had a CAVE SWALLOW last week at Lake Horton.  I didn't have time to really eloborate on it.  We split up, and she took one side of the lake, and I took the other.  We ended up looking at the same flock of swallows but from different sides of the lake.  I noted Tree Swallows and a Barn which is pretty rare for the time of the year.  Also, in the mix was a Cave.  I watched it for a minute from a distance through my spotting scope.  I knew Darlene had recently missed the one on the coast, and I was praying that this one would stay long enough for her to see it.  Just when I attempted to call her, she called me exclaiming her excitment.  Pretty neat!

  By the way the girls are doing great on their Big Year.  Their determination is inspiring, even to jaded birders like me.

  Good Birding!

  Eric Beohm
  Griffin, GA


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