American Badger seems rather far out of its range according to this distribution map of the four Am. Badger subspecies. We're separated by almost two 'layers' of states from the nearest populations.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/apprendre-learn/prof/s...20Badger_Map1_e.pdf

Think it could have been a skunk, groundhog, opossum, or fox? I once saw a striped skunk and for a good 20 seconds was convinced it was a black-and-white, longhaired, persian cat walking through a field. I almost went over to see if I could help the housecat find its way home before my brain did a 180 and I properly IDed it! The mind likes to pigeonhole unexpected sightings into pre-defined categories.

hmmm,, from what i remember- it was approximately 2 and half feet in length, it was low profile, greyish brown wiry hair, short stumpy tail, canid type head, black nose, and moved quickly with a short galloping type gait and quickly disappeared under some large boulders along the trail. It was around 7am, so there was not enough sunlight to catch any striping on the head, but intriguing nonetheless. thanks all

Sounds like a groundhog, Jonathan.

Even groundhogs weren't seen around here until in recent years but there have been reports of them in Hwy. 441N/Loop area.

Groundhogs are relatively new to this part of the piedmont but are common once you get into the mountains. Around here, they are most often found burrowing under Kudzu patches. Aside from the north loop near 441, I've also seen them on Beaverdam Rd. between Cherokee and the airport.

The more important question is, did it gallop away because it was scared of you or because it saw its shadow? That could help explain the snowstorm this winter and the cool weather we're currently having...

Agree that it sounds like a groundhog. In the past year or so, I've twice spotted groundhogs on the north side of town, near the loop.

I see them on the loop all the time and have seen them as far south as Sandersville. The area around the reservoir at Hwy. 441 and the Loop is fondly called 'Groundhog City' by my kids. They love the sloped ground for the burrows and overpasses are hard to pass up. The exit at Chase Street from the outer loop has hosted a colony since my husband built his studio in the area 12 years ago. When they run they look like a huge chipmunk. Amy Barbe
Athens-Clarke County


On Mon, May 18, 2009 at 12:33 PM, QT - Gary Crider <
qtopic-29-6JbdZFsuhUc6@quicktopic.com> wrote:

>
< replied-to message removed by QT >

well shiver me timbers, a groundhog, that's cool too :-) thanks all for the input.

Greetings!

This Saturday May 23th the Oconee Rivers Audubon Society will be hosting a birding field trip to Ivy Log Gap. We will be meeting at the Homewood shopping center located at Prince Ave./ Jefferson Rd. next to the bypass at 6am. We will be meeting up with Atlanta Audubon society one we get there. All (beginning and advanced birders) are invited to attend! We are fortunate to have our trip leader be Ed Maioriello, an excellent birder.

You should wear practical shoes, bring binoculars and field guide, water if desired, and be sure to dress for the weather.

More information about upcoming ORAS walks as well as trips sponsored by the Atlanta Audubon Society can be found at:
http://www.oconeeriversaudubon.org/upcoming.html#walks

Directions on how to get there can be found here:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d....038624&ie=UTF8&z=9

More information about Ivy Log Gap birding can be found here:

http://www.wingsoverga.com/TownsCountyBirdingSites.html

Any questions about the walk can be sent to walk leader Jonathan Gray at fieldtrip@oconeeriversaudubon.org.

found a beetle - a eastern eyed click beetle/big eyed click beetle. field guide said range is east of the rockies, except in the southeast. is this a rare sighting? should i/how do i report it?

Hi Glenn,

Alaus oculatus is found all the way south to Florida. Alaus myops is more common here in the southeast, I believe. Those are the two most commonly encountered eyed click beetles around here (I don't think either is particularly rare or needs to be reported). This website shows a good comparison of the two: http://www.stephencresswell.com/s/elaters.html

(cross posted to GABO-L)

Hi GA birders,

This summer I hope to get a good amount of data on the breeding birds of
Sandy Creek Nature Center (SCNC) and Sandy Creek Park (SCP). This morning I
walked the SCNC side of Cook's Trail (which is a ~4 mile trail connecting
SCNC and SCP and has an oxbow lake at the halfway point for those of you who
aren't familiar with it). Two SWAINSON'S WARBLERS continue to sing on
territory. They were very close a number of times, but I could not manage
any visuals today. KENTUCKY WARBLERS continue to be numerous, and I had two
males very upset at me. They chipped and flitted about, presumably in
attempt to lure me away from their territories and females. One dropped
nesting material to do so, and the other's female foraged close-by with
little interest in me. There are many singing and easily viewed
PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS. While most are in the wetland area between miles 1
and 2 of Cook's Trail, I know of at least 3 individuals the reside in SCNC
proper (one on Cook's Trail right at the highway, one near the bird blind at
the Clay Pit Pond, and one near the old cabin). I also saw a Louisiana
Waterthrush fledgling still in juvenile plumage. The eBird report from this
morning is below.

Other nature: Eastern Box Turtle, Question Mark and Morning Cloak
butterflies, and lots of Ebony Jewelwing damselflies.

Location: Sandy Creek Nature Center
Observation date: 5/28/09
Notes: Mostly cloudy to overcast. 70-77°C. SWWA singing in three spots:
1) First boardwalk well before wetland boardwalks @ 7:15 & 9:25. 2) At
sharp turn in boardwalk as you begin the wetland at 9:15. 3) At "usual"
spot but on trail side just before the oxbow. Need to determine possibility
of 3 birds. 2 KEWA aggressive defending territory from me; one with nest
material. Many great looks at PROW. Fledgling LOWA in subadult plumage.
Number of species: 48

Canada Goose 1
Wood Duck 2
Great Blue Heron 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Mourning Dove 3
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 5
Barred Owl 1
Chimney Swift 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 7
Downy Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Acadian Flycatcher 6
Eastern Phoebe 5
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
White-eyed Vireo 9
Red-eyed Vireo 7
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 13
Fish Crow 2
Carolina Chickadee 20
Tufted Titmouse 33
Carolina Wren 30
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 30
Wood Thrush 5
American Robin 1
Gray Catbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
Northern Parula 4
Pine Warbler 3
Prothonotary Warbler 14
Swainson's Warbler 2
Louisiana Waterthrush 3
Kentucky Warbler 8
Common Yellowthroat 10
Hooded Warbler 2
Yellow-breasted Chat 2
Summer Tanager 2
Eastern Towhee 5
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 36
Indigo Bunting 9
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
American Goldfinch 2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Edited by author 05-29-2009 03:45 PM
If anybody does any birding at either Sandy Creek Nature Center or Sandy Creek Park, please email me your observation list (even if you don't use eBird or post to GABO or here on QT). Also, I actually have more detailed info than what is in the eBird list below. I have the counts broken down into four areas of Cook's Trail: 1) Before going under Hwy 441 "(S1)", 2)From Hwy 441 to the wetland boardwalks "(S2)", 3) The wetland boardwalks and trail to the Oxbow "(S3)", and 4) the oxbow loop "(S4)". For example, I had 1 Prothonotary Warbler in (S1), 1 in (S2), 10 in (S3), and 2 in (S4). I also made note of visuals of females of all species or any breeding/territorial behavior of species of special interest (Swainson's, Kentucky, Prothonotary Warblers, Summer Tanager, Yellow-billed Cuckoo to name a few). Please don't feel like you have to be so thorough in order for your report to be valuable; I'll take them all. Of course, I'd appreciate as much detail as you can provide, especially breeding info.

I didn't find it too terribly buggy out there. I found only one tick. The mosquitoes were a little annoying, but the 10 or so biting flies that harassed me were the worst. If you don't like getting bitten, I recommend using spray before heading out.

Cook's Trail is in pretty good shape, as there is just a little mud and no standing water in the trail. The Greenway/SC staff have done good trail maintenance recently and have come through and cleared fallen brush and trees from the path and have even "weed-whacked" the edges of the trail in places, especially all the way around the oxbow loop.

Liz Horsey and company walked Cook's Trail yesterday (5/31) and continued to have good looks at multiple Kentucky and Prothonotary Warblers and a Louisiana Waterthrush and heard the ever-skulking Swainson's Warblers. I plan to bird SCNC "proper" (not Cook's Trail) tomorrow starting around 6:15 if anyone wants to join me.

ORAS meeting reminder:
Thursday, June 4th -- Monthly Meeting: Volunteer Recognition and Potluck at Sandy Creek Park
Sandy Creek PARK at 6PM

Come join us for some fun in the sun at Sandy Creek Park for next month's meeting! All ages are welcome to attend. Bring the kids, bring a dish, and bring your binoculars for a pleasant, informal afternoon. We will also be recognizing volunteers for all of their hard work and dedication that make an organization like ours successful!

The program, which is open to the public, will begin at 6:00 p.m. at Sandy Creek PARK, which is approximately 1.2 miles farther north along Rt. 441 than the Sandy Creek Nature Center.

Yesterday late afternoon I saw two Mississippi Kites at the intersection of Morton and Pinecrest, just a block south of the UGA campus.