Seven dedicated lepsters (and odonatesters(?)...yes most of us are oldsters too, but young in enthusiasm and curiosity!...and birders) braved the heat(mid 90's) humidity, horseflies and ticks, (though the heat was not as bad as earlier in the week due to some partly cloudy skies and a little rain Friday night) to do our annual NABA count. As with other parts of the Piedmont our numbers and species were not as prolific as in past years. (I am going to try to schedule this count earlier in June next year). Observers with me were Jim Nottke, Gene Schepker, Lois Schneider,David McCloy,Carl Ganser and Charlie Cameron. Thanks all for coming. It is always a pleasure to have an outing, hot or otherwise with fellow naturalists in the Carolinas.
The main nectar plant was Rubeckia that was along many road sides. Some Horace's were on Eupatorium and the flowers of Sourwood. Except for a Least Skipper we found no other folded wing skippers which was disappointing. Red Spotted Purple(mineralizing on the gravel roads) and Sleepy Oranges were the dominant species this year.
The regular summer resident birds were very good including 4 or more thrushes, which Gene remarked that I believe his grandmother said " the Wood Thrushes song on a hot summer day was like a refreshing drink of water"(?) (Gene feel free to correct me!...anyway I agree with the sentiment... one of my favorite bird songs...there is Thrush that seems to be in the woods behind the bathrooms every year) and dragonflies were flying almost every wet area we visited.
Charlie saw a recently born fawn hiding in the undergrowth of the bottomland woods below Sullivan's Pond just as we broke up for the day at 3pm . At least 3 Fox Squirrels were seen and 3 Great Blue Heron. The refuge is adding some great boardwalks(recycled plastic planks) near the Sullivan's Pond impoundment area and bottomlands and asphalting the wildlife drive for better access. The lakes are being restocked for fishing.
Thanks as always to refuge manager, JD Bricken and staff for hosting us.
June 26th NABA count starting at 9:30
Red Spotted Purple 20
Sleepy Orange 47
Red Admiral 10
Hackberry Emperor 9
Tawny Emperor 1
Cloudless Sulphur 8
Pearl Crescent 9
Horace Duskywing 5
Common Wood Nymph 2
Least Skipper 2
Question Mark 1
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 2
Gray Hairstreak 3
Summer Azure 1
Eastern Tailed Blue 5
Common Checkered Skipper 13
Silver Spotted Skipper 1
Orange Sulphur 1
Variegated Fritillary 2 1 caterpillar
Carolina Satyr 6
American Lady 5
American Snout 1
Common Buckeye 4
We hunted for Gemmed Satyr along a re-vegetating road I had seen numerous ones in years past but found none this year.
A Black Etched Prominent moth caterpillar on I believe Jewelweed thanks to Jim's ID book.
On my scouting trip Friday 25th, a more intensely hotter(high 90's) and clearer day than Saturday. 8:30- 1:30 pm
Sleepy Orange 8
Red Admiral 4
LITTLE WOOD SATYR 1
Red Spotted Purple 10
Hackberry Emperor 2
Cloudless Sulphur 3
American Snout 3
Common Buckeye 3
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
Question Mark 1
Horace Duskywing 2
Not certain on this one... Confused Cloudywing... which we could not relocate Sat in same area. 1
ODONATES
Blue Dasher
Slaty Skimmer
Common Whitetail M/F
Black Saddlebags
Widow Skimmer M/F
Twelve Spotted Skimmer
Eastern Pond Hawk M/F
Halloween Pennant
Banded Pennant
Powdered Dancer Immature male in woods along PeeDee river that sat for long period of observation
Jules Fraytet
Charlotte, NC