My computer was having problems and so I could not email this until today. This is a report of birding the Lake Seminole and the Wildlife Management Area tracts.

I birded the Lake Seminole Wildlife Management Area today (11-30) for the first time. There were some good birds. There was a lone male Canvasback on the north side of Lake Seminole at the end of Highway 310. (Delorme page 64 C-4) From the Highway 27 Loop around Bainbridge you take Georgia Highway 253 2.8 miles and turn left onto Ten Mile Still Road. Drive until you reach Highway 310 and turn left and follow it to the end at Lake Seminole. Warning a deer carcass dumped here makes it a bit of an odor. The Canvasback was viewable even with binoculars.

I found 7 species of ducks with a Red-breasted Merganser (south side) and at least one Greater Scaup at the dam on the south side. The dam is closed, but you can drive and park of above it. Along the Turkey Flight Road there was a feeding flock of birds with at least 12 Golden-crowned Kinglet.

I had Golden-crowned Kinglet in three other spots on the south side as well as Orange-crowned Warblers. I saw a total of 14 Orange-crowned Warblers and 6 warbler species for the day. The best warbler was at the park at the end of Turkey Flight Road where it rejoins Booster Club Road. A group of birds responding to pishing contained a Yellow-throated Warbler that was only four feet from my face just above eye level. No need for binoculars, but I had left my camera in the car. I missed some great photo opportunities and usually always have my camera.

I saw 4 Bald Eagle flying together at the park at the beginning of Turkey Flight Road. Two were adults and 2 were immature birds. I thought the four of them together was a bit unusual. There was an adult Bald Eagle on the Booster Club Road at the top of the ridge. On the north side of Seminole Lake there were 6 Bald Eagle with 4 birds seen from Sealy Point Park. They were perched on the snags in the water. A total of 11 Bald Eagles for the day was fun and I confess to looking at those perched more than once or twice.

The only Osprey of the day was on the south side of Seminole Lake. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were in several places on the south side as were Blue-head Vireos. Considering the vast areas of water habitat not viewable on Lake Seminole one wonders what ducks were missed.

Driving home along Highways 39, 91 and 27 there were huge flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds. I sorted through some of these for Yellow-headed Blackbirds with no luck. I did see 3 Cattle Egret in Miller County along Highway 91 (Delorme p. 56 F 3). They were foraging among some cattle.

John F. Gatchet Calhoun, GA

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