Several weeks ago I had a Snow Goose at Pea Island that had a neck band. I submitted it and got back this certificate.
Nunavut Canada!!! Wow.
Oystercatcher at WB
Red sky in the morning... Ring-billed Gull.
Probably a Russian spy plane.
This Scaup has been hanging out at Airlie Gardens. I believe it is a Greater Scaup based on the wide bill and big "nail" on the tip of the bill.
Greater Scaup - rounded head.
Red Fox at Airlie - a family of foxes has a den here every year for as long as I can remember.
Black Vulture
Chipping Sparrow at Oleander Memorial Gardens
I have been going for sunrise at Johhny Mercer's Pier almost every day. A gorgeous way to start the day.
Mmmm Orange Sherbet sky.
One of these days I will find a Little Gull among the Bonaparte's Gulls.
Razorbill
Saturday was my 41st Bday. It just so happened that some friends organized a rail trip to North River Marsh.
On the way David W and I checked the Beaufort Airport fields and found two Sandhill Cranes.
We met up with the group and headed to North River Marsh.
This is prime Yellow Rail habitat, short marsh grass with clumps of sharp pointed Black Needlerush. The strategy is to line up and slowly walk across the marsh close enough that any rails will be forced to flush in front of the line. Usually you get more Virginias and Soras and if you are lucky a Black or Yellow Rail. After about an hour we scored with great looks at a Yellow Rail as it flushed in the middle of the line. Everyone got good but brief looks. Now let me say here I am a little on the fence as to whether this practice is ethical. This species is quite rare and sensitive to environmental pressures. Or is it? They are so secretive and do not seem to sing or at least sound similar to frog species that it is difficult to get an accurate read on prevalence. Never the less, I think if birders only do it once to get their life bird and don't do it regularly it probably is ok. Plus its good to get some data in eBird for a species that doesn't get much data. If you do go to North River Marsh to get your lifer Yellow Rail, be respectful of the environment and try to tread as lightly as possible.
The group. Marty W got a grainy picture of the rail as it flushed but most of us were transfixed on it and never got our cameras up.
Vesper Sparrow at Fort Macon.
Painted Bunting
Canvasback and a crap load of Redheads at a private pond in Carteret County.
Lesser Scaup in middle.
Canvasback in center frame
Lesser Scaup - the bill was relatively narrow and the "nail" was small.
I believe a Greater would be similar in size to the Redheads, whereas this one was quite a bit smaller.
At the Patsy Pond Nature Trail in the Croatan we had a nice group of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers.
What a great way to spend my 41st Bday.
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