Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 05:34:53 -0400
Reply-To: Ken Blankenship <kenhblankenship@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: Ken Blankenship <kenhblankenship@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: American Golden-Plovers (4) + Buff-breasted Sandpiper,
Bartow Co., 9/19/08
Yesterday Nathan Farnau and I toured the Bartow Co. Loop. At the cattle
watering hole on Brandon Farm Rd, Nathan spotted a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER.
If the bird stays around, it may be photographable (and is certainly
viewable much closer than at sod farms). The scaling on the back and the
buffy tones were wonderful in the warm evening light.
Also, if anyone would like to try to see the breeding-plumage AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVERS at the Cartersville Industrial West Rd sod farm, 1) you need
a scope and 2) it is a rare sight to see, really. Yesterday we found a
group of birds (total of 4) that included the bird we saw last weekend. It
is in near-breeding plumage. But we also realized that the bird we first
found two weekends ago is even more immaculate and was also there. In other
words, out of the four birds: 2 are close to breeding plumage, 1 has just a
few black feathers on the belly, and 1 is simply off-the-charts. The entire
breast and belly are jet-black, the white bars on the side of the neck
stand out bold and prominent, it is an amazing bird!
The best way to look for these birds is to park on the shoulder of
Cartersville West Industrial Rd (next to a row of small landscaping trees
between the road and the sod) and scan the sod in front of you with binos
first from your car in case they are close, then get out and scope the sod -
especially the area to your right out behind the pivot point of the
watering boom. If you can't see them (there are also 100s of KILLDEER and
some PECTORAL SANDPIPERS), go back to Hwy 113 and drive carefully out onto
the closed section that is right next to the farm. From the shoulder, scan
the same areas and all viewable sod. The birds may be far off, but in a
scope you can't miss these guys!
http://wingsoverga.com/BartowCountyBirdingSites.html#BartowCountyLoop
NOTE: My description at the link above is in need of some updating (esp.
Taylorsville - see Mark McShane's posts for new directions), but it still
works just fine. Only thing is - please be very careful all along Hwy 113
in the area as it is under heavy construction with lots of lane shifts,
etc. and Cartersville West Industrial Rd is NOT signed but obvious by the
sod farm next to the highway.
Ken Blankenship
Marietta, GA (Cobb County)
http://www.wingsoverga.com
**********
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
| 
