Early this morning before our Sunday Brunch at Savorez, I went down to Carolina Beach and Fort Fisher.
Scaup can be tricky and based on the greenish tinge on this one's head, you would be forgiven for thinking Greater Scaup. However, a closer look reveals some field marks pointing to Lesser. The head is kind of peaked in the back, the sides are not pure white and the nail on the bill is not visible which means it is small.
Now this horrible photo of another bird is a genuine Greater. Look at the fat head and large "nail" on the bill tip. The sides are super white although the light is horrible.
Lesser again, this one shows the nice small "nail" on the bill tip. The sides are patterned.
Same Lesser, look at that peaked head. Sibley cautions against using color as a guide. Green does not mean Go in this case. It means Stop, and take a look at some other marks.
Another angle at that peak.
American Bittern at the Basin Trail. I wonder if this is the same bird for the past few years. Always in a similar spot. It was brutally cold and he/she was trying to get some sun.
Orange-crowned Warblers were everywhere at the end of the Basin Trail. I had three in one shrub. Its not often that they give you good enough looks to see the orange crown.
Swamp Sparrow
Common Yellowthroat
Seaside Sparrow - this cold was bringing birds out of hiding that normally would not be walking around in the open.
Calling this a Nelson's Sparrow. A little harder to tell in the winter as they have lost a ton of color, but the breast and malar are essentially the same intensity of yellow. Also the streaks are not as crisp as I would expected on a Saltmarsh.
On the way back to my truck the bittern was a little more bold and held his head higher.
There is no better way to cap a great birding session than to eat brunch at Savorez. We have made it a family ritual and have gone every Sunday I can remember for the past 2 months. In fact we are regulars now and they know us and greet us heartily when we walk in. The kids get the Pan Frances (French Toast with Cuban Bread), Melissa usually gets fish tacos and I get the Breakfast of Champions (Egg, Shaved Cabbage, Salsa, Fried Chicken Breast, Arepas all on a bed of Chorizo sauce). WOW!!! So good!
On our way back from Brunch, we spotted some Woodcocks in the neighborhood over from mine.
For some odd reason this yard had barely any snow. Maybe all the leaf litter was acting like compost and generating heat. Anyhow the Woodcocks were in heaven.
They would probe real deep into the soil...
And if they came up empty handed they would emit a deathly bellow.
Then they would ponder for a bit....
Then rear up to get ready for a big plunge....
Then down with a large stabbing motion....
Then back up like a piston.
Oooohhh maybe he has something, he is really working it....
BINGO! A Worm! Slurped it up like a spaghetti strand....
Nom nom nom nom..... Burp...
Back to work.
Goodbye my alien looking friends, I know you will be on your way tomorrow with the warmer temps.
My wife and I took the dogs on a walk down the street and I had the presence of mind to bring my crusher. At the end of my street the birds were hopping in a bit of woods across the way. I guess they were taking advantage of the relatively warmer temps before one more deep freeze tonight. My wife was annoyed but let me jump into the woods as she brought the dogs home. She knows the burden of the first in line for the New Hanover crown. You can never rest when aspiring for royalty. Once you are king then it is east to rest on your laurels like Sam is doing right now with the 2017 crown firmly on his pate.
Wilson's Warbler!!!!! Wow, I was combing through the Yellow-rumped and this guy/gal almost jumped on my shoe.
I followed her/him to the edge of the wood and managed a shot in the light.
With Nashville and Wilson's in the bag, what's next?
Pipits down my street? What is this world coming to? I blame Trump.
I figured I was red hot on a streak and I had a couple hours before dark so I headed to Wrightsville Beach.
Lesser Black-backed Gull - The north end is hosting about two gazillion gulls that are resting up after gorging themselves at a nearby fish kill.
Just one small area of the large field of gulls. It got dark quick and I didn't have my scope so I didn't find anything rare but I bet an Iceland or Glaucous is out there.
These ducks flew by at a distance and for some reason my rarophyllic brain immediately thought Brant so I started running like a loony toon in the direction they flew which was deeper into the marsh. Long story short they were Mallards and I ended up so far into the marsh that I decided to take off my shoes and take a short cut to get to the parking lot. The knee high water was cold!!! And the snow on the way up to the road was even colder. By the time I got to my truck I couldn't feel my toes. Let it be a lesson to you, they almost always are common birds, until they aren't. Case in point Wilson's Warbler. Go hard or go home!
a fun write-up!
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