Start: GPS N 35, 48.822, W 78, 43.921
End: GPS N 35, 49.510, W 78, 43.780
This outing was a continuation of the Richland Creek Trail as it passes through the Schenck Forest on its way to the Reedy Creek Trail. Direct access to the point where I left off last time is not possible by car, so in the end, I had to park at the main entrance to the Schenck Forest and walk about 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km) through the forest to reach the right location. This turned out to be a good thing, because I saw more birds during that 3/4 mile segment getting to the trail than I did on the trail itself.
This latter segment of the Richland Creek Trail is a fairly dense woods running right along the creek. I would recommend that anyone wishing to bird in this area should spend some time birding along the main access road within the Schenck Forest, as it is bounded by open fields on one side and has some areas of widely spaced trees (planted in rows) that attract different birds from those in the deeper forest of much of the actual Richland Creek Trail at this end. This access road is for use by university vehicles but private vehicles are not permitted.
I will divide this outing into two segments. The first is the walk from the Schenck Forest main entrance to the intersection with the Richland Creek Trail. This section of the forest is not an official Greenway trail, so the species I saw there will be recorded, but not included in the Capital Area Greenway species list. The second segment is the heavily wooded path along Richland Creek which is the Greenway trail itself. The very end of this trail intersects with Reedy Creek Road, and the roadside segment of the Reedy Creek Trail. Perhaps 100 feet up the road to the northwest on the right-hand side is a large pond. I included the birds that I saw on the pond in my count for the trail, because the pond is along one of the Greenway trails, and I did not bird this part of the Reedy Creek Trail previously because it is wholly roadside. However, it is close enough to the Richland Creek Trail that it seems legitimate to include it.
The access road into the Schenk forest begins with open horse pasture to the left, and a woodsy landscape to the right. A short distance down the road on the right is a narrow wooded trail called the Frances Liles Trail. A little further along is a picnic table area with a port-a-potty. Beyond this point the trees are more managed, with obviously planted areas of pines here and there. The road ends with a little cul-de-sac. There is a narrow trail that leaves the cul-de-sac and heads down to the creek, where it picks up the Richland Creek Trail. Another way to access the trail is to turn left just before this endpoint, travel between the line of natural trees on your right and the rows of planted trees on your left, until you enter the part of the Richland Creek Trail that is maintained as a maintenance accessway. This area between the natural trees and planted trees was a particularly good place to look for birds.
Eastern Bluebird: GPS N 35, 48.960, W 78, 43.434. I saw a total of 11 of these. Most were perched on power lines above the horse pasture.
Mourning Dove: I saw three of these, also perched on power lines.
Tufted Titmouse: GPS N 35, 48.955, W 78, 43.434.
Red Bellied Woodpecker: GPS N 35, 48.957, W 78, 43.445.
Downy Woodpecker: GPS N 35, 48.934, W 78, 43.498.
Carolina Chickadee: In the same area as the Downy Woodpecker.
Pine Warbler: Just after the woodpile in the photo above.
I turned from the Schenck Forest access road at GPS N 35, 48.912, W 78, 43.909 to make my way to the Richland Creek Trail. As I passed through the corridor of trees there, I glimpsed some kind of thrush with a spotted breast. I couldn't get a close enough look to be certain, though my guess would be Wood Thrush or Hermit Thrush.
From this point the trail is oriented northwest. If you look at the widest trunk in the photo at left, you will see a white painted spot. These spots are painted on trees here and there along the trail to keep you on the right track as you go. The trail integrity breaks down a bit in some areas, but you are generally funneled back to it if you keep walking.
American Redstart: GPS N 35, 48.822, W 78, 43.921. This was a male. I've only seen this a couple of times along the Raleigh Greenways, and all have been in the past few weeks.
Black Throated Blue Warbler: A deep forest bird with a distinctive white spot on the wings. A new species for the Capital Area Greenway list.
Turkey Vulture: GPS N 35, 49.425, W 78, 43.806. These were flying low over a swampy area toward the end of the trail.
The trail officially ends at GPS N 35, 49.510, W 78, 43.780. Just beyond this point, maybe 100 feet to the northwest, is a large pond with some interesting birds. A few weeks ago I saw herons, egrets, geese, and ducks. This time it wasn't quite so busy, but I suspect there are quite a number of visitors in the winter.
Canada Goose: GPS N 35, 49.509, W 78, 43.806. I counted 106 geese.
Great Blue Heron: From the same spot. This bird was out on a log in the water waiting for some fish to pass by.
Cooper's Hawk: GPS N 35, 49.449, W 78, 43.785. I was lucky to see this one. You can just make him out in the photo to the left. There were two or three jays making a racket, and I hadn't actually spotted a Blue Jay yet on the day, so I was trying very hard to spot one of them, when I noticed the hawk perched on a relatively low branch. I'm pretty sure the Blue Jays were harassing it, trying to get it to leave.
Blue Jay: In the same area with the hawk.
The last sightings on the return trip were made in the Schenck Forest, in a stand of planted trees just after I left the Richland Creek Trail.
Northern Flicker: GPS N 35, 48.863, W 78, 43.857.
Brown Headed Nuthatch: I saw at least two, and there may have been a third.
Eastern Phoebe: Hunting insects from the edge of a table.
Although I identified 18 species on the day, I was only able to spot eight species along this segment of the Richland Creek Trail. I think that the woods are a bit too deep, and the trees a bit too leafy at this time of year to get a large number of species by visual ID. I did add one new species to the Capital Area Greenway List - Black Throated Blue Warbler - and saw two species I don't see often - Cooper's Hawk and American Redstart. I think the Schenck Forest is an excellent place to bird because of the different habitats, but this part of the Richland Creek Trail is much more pleasant for walking than for birding.
