Hi GAB'ers, Wednesday late afternoon-5:30 pm-I was suffering from cabin fever and birding withdrawal. With the recent inclement weather I spent enough time watching my backyard feeders to almost be able to give each bird a personal nickname. Returning home from doing errands, I drove past Lake Mayer on Sallie Mood Dr. and saw a Loggerhead Shrike sitting on a telephone wire. After unloading the car at home I decided to get my bins and scope and return to Lake Mayer to see if there were some different birds than those at my feeders. In spite of the overcast, cloudy conditions and winds gusting up to 14 mph and in spite of the afternoon recreation seekers (walkers, runners, joggers, fishermen-no fisherwomen this day-picnickers, and others), I had a surprisingly productive outing. See the eBird list below.

What was more surprising to me is that there is such an easily accessible birding place within 5 miles of my home that has so much to offer in the way of bird variety, considering that it is a small area and located in an area bounded by houses, recreation fields and a very busy Truman Parkway. I learned that anytime I want a quick birding fix, I just have to go "right around the corner". This is also a neat place to bring younger birders to introduce them to the sport and joy of birding. I suspect that if the weather were better and if I were there early in the morning, I might have lots more song and woodland birds!

Location: Lake Mayer-Chatham Cnty Observation date: 5/20/09 Notes: Obs. made while walking around the path, in front of boating and picnic areas. Weather-sky overcast, windy with gusts up to 14 mph. Heard birds and saw some from mixed, mature hardwood and pines across a drainage canal running across from western perimeter of Lake. Number of species: 26

Canada Goose 18 Mallard 11 Brown Pelican 1 Anhinga 3 Great Egret 1 Osprey 2 Least Tern 3 Rock Pigeon 5 Mourning Dove 3 Chimney Swift 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Eastern Kingbird 1 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Blue Jay 1 American Crow 8 Carolina Chickadee 1 Carolina Wren 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Eastern Bluebird 1 Northern Mockingbird 1 European Starling 4 Pine Warbler 1 Summer Tanager 1 Northern Cardinal 3 Red-winged Blackbird 4 Boat-tailed Grackle 8

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