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BIRDER’S TOUR
OF THE GREENSBORO LAKES
© 2003 Dennis Burnette
This is a brief guide to some
of the best places to look for birds around the three major reservoirs in the
City of Greensboro’s water storage system. Elsewhere in this guide you will find
site descriptions that provide specific information about birding each of these
lakes.
Particularly on a good day during
late summer, fall, winter, and early spring, a birder can see forty -five or
more species. An alert observer has a good chance of seeing a rarity if several
of these sites are visited frequently and the conditions are right. The species
and number of water birds are affected by the level of water in the lakes, which
is influenced both by rainfall amounts and by artificial regulation. Even on
poor birding days, however, there are always a few species around.
All of these artificial lakes are on the northern
edge of Greensboro and are laid out roughly in a west-to-east pattern along
Horsepen Creek and other connected waterways. They are accessible by public
roadways at several points that can be easily identified on any good current
road map. Therefore, detailed directions are not given here on the assumption
that a person unfamiliar with the area will want to use a map anyway to get to
and from this good birding area.
Safety should be a constant concern at many of the
spots noted in this tour. While the marinas have good parking facilities, all
of the other sites are along heavily traveled roadways. Birders must pull their
vehicles well off the road and exercise caution when opening car doors. Further,
all members of the birding party should help each other be aware of the traffic
even when standing along the roadside; it is easy to forget that cars are
whizzing by when you're trying to get a good vantage point to see a life bird.
Birding along the edges of the lakes will be enhanced
by using binoculars, although many species will be identifiable without any
equipment at all. To see ducks and geese, binoculars often are a necessity, and
a birder who looks for waterfowl often will soon long for a spotting scope. A
spotting scope is almost essential for sorting through large flocks of gulls in
search of a rarity. Many birders like to bring along a small notebook to keep a
record of what they see.
It goes without saying that clothing should be
appropriate for the weather, but what might not be so apparent is that the
temperature, precipitation, and wind conditions at home probably will be
different from the weather around the lakes. Especially during the colder
months, the micro-climate at lakeside can be cold, windy and damp. (Don’t let
bad weather be a deterrent to looking for waterfowl; Remember the old saying
about rainy conditions being "good weather for ducks".) It is always a good idea
in late fall, winter, and early spring to dress in layers, bring a
water-resistant outer garment, and wear water-resistant shoes or boots.
All three lakes are administered by the City of
Greensboro, the marinas and adjacent trails being under the jurisdiction of the
Parks and Recreation Department. For information about hours, programs, and
services, call 336-545-5333, or contact the individual marinas at the phone
numbers listed with each lake entry. For trails information, call 336-545-5961
or 336-545-5955.
We will begin the tour of the Greensboro lakes with the
western-most reservoir, Lake Higgins, then go east to Lake Brandt, and continue
east to finish the tour at Lake Townsend. (See the site entries in this
guide for birding information about each lake.)
Read articles about
some of our Greensboro Lake Field Trips!
2001
2002
2003
2004
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