I usually like to go to the OBX for starting out the year but my wife wanted me to celebrate the New Year at home and she volunteered us for a party... I hate parties and socializing in general but I made deal with her. If I rang in the New Year with her she would let me go to the OBX on the weekend. Done deal! Of course at that time I didn't know about this Bombogenesis Armageddon of a storm...
So after partying half heartedly the night before, I still managed to get up at first light at start my year our at Johnny Mercer's pier.
Northern Gannet was my first year bird (I ignored the Rock Pigeons when walking up to the pier). The pier was brutally cold and the loon flocks were distant so I pulled the plug quickly.
What you can't tell from this sunny pic is that it was below zero and the wind chill made it feel like 10 Fahrenheit. This was from a relatively sheltered spot at the South end of Wrightsville Beach. I walked the south end beach but it was brutally cold and the birds were all common. Gulls and Loons..
So nice to be able to look at a cardinal again and appreciate it fully.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Oleander Gardens.
Loggerhead Shrike at ILM Airport.
Eastern Bluebird
After the airport, I decided to check the fields north of the airport for Pipits. We don't get a tons of Pipits in New Hanover so I wanted to get that monkey off my back.
A huge flock of Brown-headed Cowbirds was searched diligently for something different.
There were 4 American Pipits that were way off in the field and they started slowly working their way towards me. The sun was in the wrong angle and I waited for a good 30 minutes to get this awful but recognizable shot. What is it about how 30 minutes in traffic just about kills me, but sitting in my truck on the side of a road waiting for a bird is like pure heaven. I could have waited there all day for a better shot, but other birds were calling me like the siren Calypso did to Odysseus.
Ring-necked Duck female at Cape Fear Community College extension on Blue Clay Rd.
Canada Goose
Mallards
Next up was a valiant try for the Western Kingbird and Nashville Warbler at Fish Factory Rd in Southport found during the Xmas Bird Count. Who should I run into but Derb! We birded a little together.
American Kestrel
Northern Mockingbird
Serb found the Nashville Warbler and called me over.
As Scarface once said: "Say hello to my little friend"
We never re-found the Western Kingbird. I wonder if this Red-shouldered Hawk hanging around had anything to do with scaring him off.
This Killdeer didn't seem to mind.
I took the Fort Fisher ferry back on the way home and was glad I did.
Tundra Swans are a damn good bird in New Hanover County. I didn't get any last year in the county.
There was one adult and one younger looking bird. Maybe momma and her adolescent.
That was a nice way to start the year, about 65 or so species on Day 1.
On Tuesday Jan 02, I did some local birding before work.
The Supermoon was still huge in the morning on the way to Wrightsville. Again the pier and the beach were cold and the birds common so I didn't end up with any pics.
At Airlie Gardens the ducks were forced into small areas free of ice. Even the Wood Ducks were forced out in the open.
In the afternoon after work, I headed south to Carolina Beach to look for more ducks. I figured the ice would force birds to seek ever smaller areas making it easy to find them. On the way I checked Ashley High School ponds.
Male Redhead.
Northern Shoveler - a good bird for New Hanover.
Snowy Egret at CB Lake.
White Ibis
Female Redhead
Redhead with a breeding plumaged female Lesser Scaup. Check out the peaked area on the back of the head of the Scaup.
This Sanderling was not happy with the ice covering his lovely mud.
It was getting dark but this silhouette of a female Greater Scaup was I think diagnostic. Much more round head than the nearby Lesser.
Here is the Lesser Scaup, note the pinched area in the eyes.
Greater Scaup - note the same area is beefier.
Green-winged Teal on the ice. Again a damn good bird for New Hanover.
American Robins have been flocking by the thousands in this cold weather.
Day 3 before work I headed south again hoping to check on the Coquina Rocks and Federal Rocks at Fort Fisher before work.
This Greater Yellowlegs was wading in a random neighborhood pond.
Ruddy Duck at CB Lake.
American Coot.
The scaup from the previous evening were still there and cooperating with side by side pics.
Lesser on the left and Greater on the right. The right bird was craning his neck so a little misleading.
Greater stretching wings.
Plenty of white in the wing flashes.
Pardon all the pics but you don't get many opportunities to compare Lesser and Greater side by side and females to boot!
Lesser with peaked head in the back.
Greater with smooth head and large bill with big "nail".
Greater with wide bill and thick head.
Lesser with narrower bill and head.
Royal Tern - At Federal Rocks the high tide was forcing all the birds up close.
Shorebird Party!
Semipalmated Plover
Western SP
Dowitchers, Dunlin and Western SPs.
Marbled Godwits, Willets and Oystercatchers
Willet
Oystercatcher staying warm amongst the hordes of shorebirds. It's going to be a 20 Dunlin night for this Oystercatcher.
Western Sandpiper
Short-billed Dow
Dunlin
Garbled Modwit
American Avocet!!! Thats a good bird for New Hanover.
Forster's Tern
Lest you didn't know why they are Royal Terns, this one is showing you his crown.
A quick stop at CB State Park on the way home bagged me a couple Pileated WPs.
And some Blue-headed Vireos.
My good old Hairy WPs are still around. A good bird for NH County but fairly reliable the past 2 years if you know where to look.
Look at that Schnoz!
What a great way to start the New Year despite the cold or maybe because of the cold.
Snowmegeddon is tonight and as I write this my driveway is full of ice and I just took in the hummingbird feeders. Poor birds. I wonder what this will bring...
Excellent start to the year! I look forward to see your posts again this year as you try once again to topple Sam. Good luck!
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