Sunday, March 3, 2024

Winter Pelagic and Some Local Stuff (25Feb-03Mar2024)

Usually I like to get out on a pelagic earlier in the winter, but life gets in the way.  First some local stuff....


Red-breasted Merganser at CB Lake - the original punk rocker of the duck world.


European Starlings are gorgeous if you stop to smell the roses.


Ryan Justice found a Clay-colored Sparrow at Fort Fisher and it was still around later in the afternoon.


The weather was looking really bad for Saturday so Brian P emailed and asked if I could do Friday instead.  Luckily I could swing it and drove up Thursday evening.

The wind was coming out of the east so the way out to the gulf stream was a bit choppy but the waves were small.  Once we got out about 20 miles we starting to pick up some alcids.


.Atlantic Puffin


Red Phalaropes were around but kind of flighty and I only managed some really bad photos.


We went very far out and consequently picked up an early Black-capped Petrel.   I was actually hoping we would stay closer to shore and look for Murres.



Several Ocean Sunfish were finning close to the surface.


Manx Shearwater


We had a ton of Razorbills on the way back in but they were all flying by pretty far out.

Overall a somewhat lackluster pelagic even though it is always good to get Puffins.  I don't think they have had any Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Little Gulls or Great Skuas this year.  I know Skuas had a huge die off from Avian Flu.

In the evening I stopped at Milltail Rd in Alligator.  There was tons of traffic so I was getting pretty frustrated because I think it's less likely to see owls when people are constantly driving around.  I did however, get some really nice American Woodcocks displaying right in front of me at dusk.  I decided I already have good pictures of Woodcocks in the past and I didn't to disturb them, so I only recorded them.  Audio in my checklist, turn it up all the way.  You will hear two Peent calls in the beginning then the twittering flight calls while they display in the air.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S163384921

I stayed at the Hampton Inn in Williamston, planning to hit up some spots on the way home in the morning. I woke up at about 6am with a splitting migraine and nausea.  I was basically incapacitated until about noon when I felt marginally better and checked out.  I don't know exactly what this condition is, but I seem to get it once a year, usually after a pelagic trip.  I think I need to drink more water.

On the way home I stopped at Martin Marietta Park in New Bern to try for an Ash-throated Flycatcher that has been hanging out.  It is a big park, so I was a bit worried I wouldn't find it.


Ash-throated Flycatcher - its been a big year in NC for this species with probably 10 or more.


Ruddy Duck

Then after about another hours drive I saw a sign for White Oak River and I remembered that I had always wanted to check out the impoundments there.  So I kind of blindly went in and started to explore.  I should have done some research first because I ended up walking down a bunch of dead ends.  I did finally find the place where the river walk starts about a mile down from the parking, but it was super muddy and I neglected to bring my boots.  I did hear a King Rail at close range but could not coax it out.


Wild Turkey


Hairy Woodpecker 

This morning I did the survey at Figure 8 and executed a major bonehead move.  I was walking down in front of where the pipe had recently been pumping near the shoreline to count all the gulls that feed on the pumped tidbits.  They had the pump off because they were fixing more pipe on so I figured it would be safe to walk out in front.  I was far enough out that even if the pump started, I would be ok but might get my feet wet.  However, what I neglected to weigh into the equation was that when the sand is super saturated and aerated it can be like quicksand.  One step I was on firm sand, and the next step I sank all the  way to my thighs.  I had to lean over and shimmy my way out but it was a little scary.  Luckily today I had on my sneakers and they were tied on good.  If I had my boots on, I would have probably lost them as they  tend to get suctioned in the quicksand from my prior experience.

Walking down the beach, I saw something I don't think I have ever seen on the beach, I lone Canada Goose standing right next to the surf line in the fog.


Weird...



Tuesday, February 27, 2024

WInter's Last Gasp (11-25Feb2024)

It's been a pretty mild winter and today it was spring like with cherry trees blooming and daffodils popping up.  Here are some photos from earlier the month.

Yellow-rumped Warbler - I will not be sad to see these moving north.


Northern Cardinal


The waves have been good but its hard to get me to suit up nowadays.

A Dovekie at the south end of WB has been very cooperative for photos in good light.



Cooper's Hawk

A couple weekends ago I had a day off from surveys so I headed up to the triangle and looped around to Charlotte to try and pick up a couple rarities.  I started out at Schenck Forest in Raleigh.


Hermit Thrush

Fox Sparrow



Wilson's Warbler - it took a little while to find and it never came down from high in the Long Leaf canopy. 

Next stop was at a golf course a little north of Raleigh.


Greater White-fronted Geese


There were over 20 Mute Swans here.  I wonder how long they have been breeding here.  It seems strange that only ones in the north part of the state are countable where these seem to be established.


A handful of Tundra Swans were also chilling out here.

Things were going well so I decided to head up even further to see if Cackling Goose at Mayo River State Park was still around.  It hadn't been reported for a week or so.


I combed through the Canada Geese but couldn't find it.  I kept looking and eventually found it hanging out with some domestic mallards in a pond about 100 yards from the Canadas.

Cackling Goose!


So cute!

This is where my luck started to run out.  I decided to go try for photos of the Short-eared Owls over at Guilford County Farm hoping three times was a charm.  It seems quite a few people have seen them come out before sunset, but I had been skunked twice already this year with the owls only coming out after any possibility of photos.


A bunch of people were already out waiting well before sunset.  I did catch a glimpse of one but it was almost pitch dark.

The next day was President's Day so I had it off so instead of heading home, I headed to Charlotte to stay the night with plans to pick up a Common Goldeneye in Concord Mills and then the Lapland Longspurs east of Charlotte.  I failed miserably at both.

The Concord Mills ponds in the morning were chock full of ducks but no Goldeneye.  I thought I might have seen it way in the distance on a wetland, but I never got a good look before it disappeared.  

The farm fields at Brent Haigler Rd where Martina found the LALOs was really birdy with huge flocks of American Pipits but I was never able to get on the Longspurs.  Its a huge area and the Pipits they are supposedly hanging out with were all over the place.


Strange to see an American Pipit sitting next to an American Kestrel.


American Goldfinch


Savannah Sparrow


American Pipit


Meanwhile back home the Boat-tailed Grackles are starting to get horny.



More good waves!

At Figure Eight Island, I have been diligently combing through the gull flocks.  I don't even know what to think of this beast.  The huge dark eye and sharply bicolored bill was giving me weird vibes.


A cooperative Bald Eagle sitting on the wood pile someone put up.


Massive flocks of Cedar Waxwings have been feasting on rich people's hedge berries.  I think it is mostly privet.

Last weekend I made another trip up to the triangle to redeem myself after the misses in Charlotte.  A Common Golden has been hanging out at Jordan Lake.


Common Goldeneye - it took a while to get some decent pics as it mostly hung out in some far nook of the lake.

Erla B has been having a horde of Pine Siskins at her feeder in Raleigh so I got permission to come over and do some Geribirding.

Yellow-rumped Warbler


Mourning Dove 


Pine Siskin feeding on shelled sunflower seeds.


Goldfinch


Pine Siskin


Pine Warbler


Brown Thrasher


Dark-eyed Junco

A nice little day trip!

 A sun beam poking through the gloom at Figure Eight one morning.  I was toying with the idea of going up to Shackleford Banks but by the time I was done with my survey, I decided to just stay local and hit up the sparrow fields at Blue Clay rd.


Vesper Sparrow


Mallard

Great times!

This weekend is pelagic time!  I hope the weather holds up.