A Couple Sparrows (30Sep - 05Oct2021)

The drive out on the Fort Fisher spit is always fun even if it hasn't been turning up any rarities lately.

Side by side comparison of a Royal and Caspian Tern.

A young Lesser Black-backed Gull

An adult LBBG

 Yet another!

BMC has been sub par. Summer Tanager.

Merlin

A Kirtland's Warbler had been hanging out at one of my favorite parks in NC so I decided to jam up and try for it.  Valle Crucis is a great little town nestled in a picturesque valley in between Banner Elk and Boone.  The Community Park has a proper river and a creek winding around farm fields and a pond.  Great habitat for a number of bird species.  I figured even if I missed the Kirtland's I could still get my Broad-winged Hawk pic that I was missing for the year.

Red-Shouldered Hawk - A Murder of crows was making a huge racket so I followed it to a row of trees which held all the hawks except the ones I needed. Note the translucent panel near the wing tips which is a field mark for Red-Shouldered.

An adult Red-shouldered.  There were Cooper's Hawks too but the photos stunk so I will spare you.

Cape May Warbler

Palm Warbler

Young Cedar Waxwings are kind of ratty looking.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Wilson's Warbler

Cape May

Long story short, I dipped on both targets (Kirtland's and Broad-winged) but it was still fun.  

Back home, the Marsh Sparrows are back in force!

This is one of those borderline ones, but if I had to pick one I would say Nelson's.

I would call this one a Saltmarsh based on the differences in flank color versus face.

Nelson's - look at those legs!  The color on face and flanks and throat are fairly consistent and the streaks are more blurry and gray.

Probably Saltmarsh

Nelson's

This was dark enough to be a Seaside Sparrow but it is strange to see so much yellow undertone.  I wonder if they hybridize...  I know Saltmarsh and Nelson's do.