New Invasive species In North Carolina

[Devilwin]

I live in the South Georgia boonies, and love to sit on my porch and count the different species of birds I can hear at a given time. Sadly, although I heard them often growing up, I never hear a bob white quail in this area these days. But there's this one mockingbird hanging around lately that does the first two parts of the quail call... but not the last "white." He fooled me a couple of times, but now I'm on to him. That's the only mocker I've ever heard make the quail sound. Did he hear one around here at some point? Oh well. I'll keep listening.

Bobwhites are declining in most of the south, due to many factors, mainly destruction of their preferred habitat of woods edges, grassy fields, and brushy thickets. I did some research on the subject, and found that the bobwhite is still fairly common in the NC coastal plain, uncommon in the piedmont, and rare to uncommon in our mountains. In SC and Georgia, the story is much the same, with populations of quail being fragmented across the two states. I saw five two weeks ago on New Hope Road near Denton, crossing about 50 yards ahead of my car. They were the first bobwhites I had seen in two or three years. I did hear calling birds last September in Shallotte, where we were staying with some friends at their place in the country. So they are there, but in no way close to the numbers they once were.

[jacone21]

Bobwhites are declining in most of the south, due to many factors, mainly destruction of their preferred habitat of woods edges, grassy fields, and brushy thickets. I did some research on the subject, and found that the bobwhite is still fairly common in the NC coastal plain, uncommon in the piedmont, and rare to uncommon in our mountains. In SC and Georgia, the story is much the same, with populations of quail being fragmented across the two states. I saw five two weeks ago on New Hope Road near Denton, crossing about 50 yards ahead of my car. They were the first bobwhites I had seen in two or three years. I did hear calling birds last September in Shallotte, where we were staying with some friends at their place in the country. So they are there, but in no way close to the numbers they once were.

Here in the flatwoods, we have thousands of acres of herbicide controlled slash and loblolly pine plantations. That's a big part of it. Up until the late 70s, there were still turpentine woods with lots of wiregrass and underbrush, and there was much more edge habitat around fields and fence rows. Now the fields are herbicide controlled right up to the edges of the herbicide controlled pine forests. Fortunately there is a push to reestablish more long leaf pine and wiregrass forests, with incentives for private landowners who plant long leaf pines. That also benefits other natives like gopher tortoises and indigo snakes.

I have a tiny off grid cabin on a few acres in the next county and I'm just letting that land grow wild, trying to establish that habitat. Doing my part. I do hear quail and whip poor wills over there. I just can't seem to spend enough time there.

Here's a pic. Don't tell my wife I drove the car down the old logging roads back there.

woods.jpg

[aimo]

I do hear quail and whip poor wills over there.

We haven't heard whippoorwills in years. They used to drive me crazy early in the morning, now I miss them. They are declining all over due to development.

[left_hook_lacey]

Here in the flatwoods, we have thousands of acres of herbicide controlled slash and loblolly pine plantations. That's a big part of it. Up until the late 70s, there were still turpentine woods with lots of wiregrass and underbrush, and there was much more edge habitat around fields and fence rows. Now the fields are herbicide controlled right up to the edges of the herbicide controlled pine forests. Fortunately there is a push to reestablish more long leaf pine and wiregrass forests, with incentives for private landowners who plant long leaf pines. That also benefits other natives like gopher tortoises and indigo snakes.

I have a tiny off grid cabin on a few acres in the next county and I'm just letting that land grow wild, trying to establish that habitat. Doing my part. I do hear quail and whip poor wills over there. I just can't seem to spend enough time there.

Here's a pic. Don't tell my wife I drove the car down the old logging roads back there.

woods.jpg

Mrs. Lefthooklacey just got back from a week long science teacher retreat sponsered by Weyerhaeuser and the NC forestry service. They toured lots of long leaf pine plantations across the state, measuring the trees, etc. It was pretty interesting. I'm not sure if the push for the long leaf pine plantations are for habitat reasons or for commercial reasons. But there are a lot of them.

[Devilwin]

I sometimes hear whippoorwills (and their close cousin, the Chuck will's widow) when we go to our friends home in Trinity. They have about 300 acres and much of it is timbered. We will sit on the deck at night, and listen to the whips, chucks and barred, horned, and screech owls. Barred owls make an ungodly call sometimes.

[Jim3k]

I sometimes hear whippoorwills (and their close cousin, the Chuck will's widow) when we go to our friends home in Trinity. They have about 300 acres and much of it is timbered. We will sit on the deck at night, and listen to the whips, chucks and barred, horned, and screech owls. Barred owls make an ungodly call sometimes.

Remember the Whippoorwill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WXYjm74WFI

Hear that lonesome whippoorwill
He sounds too blue to fly
The midnight train is whining low
I'm so lonesome I could cry

I've never seen a night so long
When time goes crawling by
The moon just went behind the clouds
To hide its face and cry

Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die?
That means he's lost the will to live
I'm so lonesome I could cry

The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple sky
And as I wonder where you are
I'm so lonesome I could cry

Thanks, Hank.

[Devilwin]

Did a bit of research on the whippoorwill and chuck will's widow. The whip has always been the more northern of the two species, rare in the coastal plain and more common in the piedmont and mountains. The chuck is more common in the coastal plain and lower piedmont. In recent years, the whip has declined somewhat in the piedmont and mountains, but has extended their breeding range to the coastal plain, and the chuck has expanded its range to the piedmont. The two species are similar in appearance with the chuck being more brown in color. The calls are similar. Chucks are called whipporwills in the deep south.
calls of the two.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/...or-will/sounds
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/...s-widow/sounds

[OZZIE4DUKE]

That only applies to Damn Yankees. Regular Yankees come for vacation.

Proud to be smart enough to be a damn Yankee! LGD GTHc!

Town of Cary - collection area retired Yankees.

[devildeac]

Proud to be smart enough to be a damn Yankee! LGD GTHc!

Town of Cary - collection area retired Yankees.

Clayton, NC:

Cary
Like
Area
Yankees
Trying
Out
Now

[aimo]

Proud to be smart enough to be a damn Yankee! LGD GTHc!

Town of Cary - collection area retired Yankees.

I prefer Containment Area for Relocated Yankees. Because I'm from Durham.

[devildeac]

I prefer Containment Area for Relocated Yankees. Because I'm from Durham.

I've also heard/used Confinement Area for Retired/Relocated Yankees.

[Devilwin]

Had another invasive species at a neighbor's bird feeders. Monk parakeet (Quaker parrot). We saw four of them today, gorging on sunflower seed. We are going to try to track them and look for a nest site. They are a South American species, sold as pets, and many have been released in Florida, where over 100,000 reside today. They have been reported from at least ten US states, including NC. There are confirmed nestings here from Greensboro, Jamestown, Winston Salem and Wilmington, Asheville and Jacksonville. If anyone spots them, please let me know here. They are green and gray in color, and make a raucous chattering sound.

[Jim3k]

Had another invasive species at a neighbor's bird feeders. Monk parakeet (Quaker parrot). We saw four of them today, gorging on sunflower seed. We are going to try to track them and look for a nest site. They are a South American species, sold as pets, and many have been released in Florida, where over 100,000 reside today. They have been reported from at least ten US states, including NC. There are confirmed nestings here from Greensboro, Jamestown, Winston Salem and Wilmington, Asheville and Jacksonville. If anyone spots them, please let me know here. They are green and gray in color, and make a raucous chattering sound.

I believe this is your Monk Parakeet. .

[Devilwin]

Yep, that's the bird. Thanks for posting the pics!

[TruBlu]

Had another invasive species at a neighbor's bird feeders. Monk parakeet (Quaker parrot). We saw four of them today, gorging on sunflower seed. We are going to try to track them and look for a nest site.

If you can manage to catch one, take it to Chapel Hill and release it. Because, you know, it’s always appropriate to give that place a bird.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Today I learned that over 50% of the armadillo population carries the bacteria that causes leprosy.

[sagegrouse]

Had another invasive species at a neighbor's bird feeders. Monk parakeet (Quaker parrot). We saw four of them today, gorging on sunflower seed. We are going to try to track them and look for a nest site. They are a South American species, sold as pets, and many have been released in Florida, where over 100,000 reside today. They have been reported from at least ten US states, including NC. There are confirmed nestings here from Greensboro, Jamestown, Winston Salem and Wilmington, Asheville and Jacksonville. If anyone spots them, please let me know here. They are green and gray in color, and make a raucous chattering sound.

I've seen Monk Parakeets in Chicago and DC, as well as numerous locations in Florida. Not a harmful invader, IMHO (where the H flew away many years ago).

[Devilwin]

I've seen Monk Parakeets in Chicago and DC, as well as numerous locations in Florida. Not a harmful invader, IMHO (where the H flew away many years ago).

They may be occupying the niche left by the extinct Carolina parakeet, which went extinct in the early 1900's. Similar in habits, and both are in the conure group of parrots.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I prefer Containment Area for Relocated Yankees. Because I'm from Durham.

Cary pronunciation keys:

Kerry: how people from inside belt line in Raleigh pronounce it.

KAY-ree: how folks from Garner, and east, pronounce it.

Carry: Damned yankees...

[MulletMan]

Today I learned that over 50% of the armadillo population carries the bacteria that causes leprosy.

As a current resident of east Texas, I can confirm that this is the party line as far as what to tell the youngins regarding the dangers of playing with wild 'dillos. Now... on the other-hand, we've got a pretty hard and fast rule of "don't play with dead animals". We've lived in outside of Houston for 5 years now, and I've yet to see a live 'dillo other than the one at the Houston zoo. At the same time, I've seen at least 100 DEAD 'dillos. They don't appear to be very swift re: cars and trucks.