Again tonight about 06:40pm there were 17 Pied-billed Grebes in a flock at the narrowing of Lake Shamrock. All just sitting, a little preening, no diving; I assume they are ready to move on?? We saw two similar flocks of 12 and 21 each a couple hundred yards west of this one on 09/29/11. Only other items tonight were a coot and one Great Egret close to the road in the east end of the lake. Gate was closed to Blalock.

At the Huie Ponds, CCWA, Freeman Road, there were thousands of starlings moving all along the pond banks and roads and doing their incredible bathing, preening routine with huge numbers sending up spray and flying in and out. With the light from the setting sun, even starlings can be colorful and interesting as the thick flocks wheel in the air and roll along the ground. Their translucent under-wing feathers would reflect near white in the sun as they wheel. (Probably more than you wanted to hear about starlings)

Small flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds were around the island in Pond C (south).

17 Least Sandpipers were in the SW corner of B pond (NW). The 17 is a coincidence with the above Grebe count. One Great Blue Heron was resting in B pond.

Quite a few Mallards, Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, and Blue-winged Teal, were moving back and forth from B and E ponds and there were American Coots and Canada Geese in E pond.

Of course, Mockingbirds, Killdeers and Crows were ubiquitous as Mad Man Maring says on WGST.

No raptors noted at either ponds or lake.

Enjoy this beautiful weather!

Steven and Mary Mitchell

Tyrone, GA

Fayette County

mitc4110@bellsouth.net

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