Starting at the Newman Wetlands Center I joined a Birds Georgia walk led by John, your ideal jolly bird-guy chaperone (but in his words, distinctly "not an ornithologist") who grew up learning about birds from his biologist mother. His favorite bird is the Tree Swallow, of which we saw several fluttering about amongst power-lines challenging groups of Eastern Bluebirds.
A slow meander along the boardwalk was mostly occupied chatting with Sally, a relative newcomer to the hobby who is nonetheless already on her way to completing her Master Birding certification from Birds Georgia. She is a keen naturalist who informed me all about the Clayton County Water Authority (a "Top Water Wise Community" per one source) and the intricacies of wastewater treatment. I delivered a long-winded summary of The Big Year to her and another prospective master birder Chris when a reference to the movie fell on deaf ears.
The wetlands contained mostly typical species for this time of year as the wave of spring migrants have yet to arrive. We got views of some departing birds such as Dark-Eyed Junco, Swamp Sparrow, and Winter Wren before they head north for the summer.
Next we caravaned to one of the hottest locations in Clayton County, birding or otherwise, the E.L. Huie Ponds. These retention basins might be designed for stormwater runoff? I'm not sure, I should've asked Sally. Anyways they are arranged in a 2x3 grid and each contained startlingly different classes of waterfowl and shorebirds. "Miss Melanie", a woman who John informed us is found at the ponds most weekends without fail, had scoped up some Lesser Yellowlegs, Green-winged Teal, and Wilson's Snipe (lifer).
A conversation emerged surrounding one attendee, Matthew, and his grab-bag of hobbies highlighted by trainchasing and RC plane flying. He sported a bucket hat/baseball cap stacked combo while his lifted F-150 rocked an array of antennae for railfanning.
The 2nd pond held hundreds of ducks: Green and Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Bufflehead, and a lone American Wigeon. A Rusty Blackbird (lifer) emerged at the water's edge to everyone's excitement as a kestrel sallied over the surface grabbing something indescribable.
As the motorcade wrapped up at the 6th basin, we had a distant glance at two personally long-awaited Pied Billed Grebe (lifer) and Sally gifted me a complimentary Birds Georgia membership.
TODAY: 56
LIFE LIST: 177 -> 180
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