Sweet Carolina (09Jan2017)

Well I am back home in sweet Carolina and I have promised no NC big year this year to my wife.  However, no one said I couldn't do a New Hanover County Big year!  So that's what I will do to provide photographic fodder for all my rabid fans.  Although I am not doing a NC big year, I will keep track of species in NC on the side ribbon and just include numbering for the New Hanover Country ones. New Hanover is a relatively small county but has a great variety of habitat and probably rivals most NC counties in overall counts.

Redhead at Ashley High School pond.

Gadwall

Gadwall and Redheads

American Coot at Carolina Beach Lake

Ruddy Duck

Bufflehead

Killdeer

Ring-necked Duck

Northern Pintail.

Common Goldeneye - this bird regularly stays the winter at the Fort Fisher Aquarium pond off the Basin Trail.

Can you see it?

American Bittern at the Basin Trail.

Savannah Sparrow at Federal Rocks.

Northern Gannets at Masonboro Inlet.

Anyone want to wager on how many species I can get in New Hanover in 2017?  Sam C had 257 last year and at first glance that looks like it may be the record in eBird.  So that is my goal.  Sorry Sam, your reign as the King of New Hanover will end this year! Mwuhahahahaah....