My big choice was chase Eurasian Wigeon before the ducks leave and try for Golden Eagle at Alligator, or head the mountains and try for Golden up near Cheek Mountain. I ended up choosing Pungo, Matta and Alligator and OBX.
First thing on Saturday I arrived at the Pungo entrance to find a huge flock of Red-winged Blackbirds. I thought for sure this was a fortuitous sighting and set myself to the task of finding a Yellow-headed BB. 45 minutes later I had combed through 20 or so thousand Red-winged, Grackles, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Starlings and some other common birds and still had no Yellow-headed.
Never the less, it was impressive and a Black Bear in a distant field was nice. I didn't bother with a pic since it was just a black blob.
How many RWBBs can you fit in one tree?
Once again my rarophyllia kicked in when I saw this raptor sitting on a dirt mound. The pointy wings had me thinking Prairie Falcon or some other exotic bird. Of course it was just a Northern Harrier.
Gray Ghost
Tons of Tree Swallows at Pungo.
Red-winged Blackbirds are already displaying.
Three Sandhill Cranes mixed in with the Tundra Swans at Pungo.
Before leaving I checked the Red-winged flock again just to be sure. Still no Yellow-headed.
At Mattamuskeet it took me a long time to find one of the Eurasian Wigeons but I finally got it after a couple hours of looking. My eyes are still smarting from staring in my scope in the high wind.
Damn coot in the way but nice comparison of the heads of a American and Eurasian Wigeon.
Alligator started out with a bang when I found a small pack of Red Wolves lounging in a field.
I knew they were Red Wolves and not Coyotes based on the honking red radio collar on the far right wolf.
That thing has to be uncomfortable, but I guess if it helps prevent being shot by a hunter it is a good thing. On NPR I was listening to 1A and there was a dude talking about how AR-15s are great for Coyote hunting. My question is do they eat Coyotes or just kill them and throw them in a ditch? Disgusting in my opinion.
Lesser Yellowlegs - I diligently reached for Ruffs in amongst the Yellowlegs but did not find any.
When I first saw this bird soaring I immediately thought Golden Eagle as it had dark underwings and a unique tail pattern and was flying in a dihedral. Now I see it is a Bald Eagle with a strange combo of a white head but patterned tail. I wonder how many sightings of Golden Eagles lately are just poor views of Bald Eagles in interesting plumage patterns.
Red-tailed Hawk
As it got dark this raptor perched in a tree near Milltail Rd. The bib came down far so I can see how it could be IDed as a Swainson's but I got a look as it flew away and the petagial bar gave it away as a Red-tailed.
I waited until dark and never saw a Short-eared Owl, but was treated to the most amazing Red Wolf chorus. They seemed to be all around me and in fact it was a little spooky.
Herring Gull at Oregon Inlet. I searched high and low for Snowy Owls with no luck.
This loon was really interesting but in the end I called it a Red-throated Loon. Pacific and Arctic were considered and thrown out.
Common Merganser on the way home at the Cresswell ponds. Too far for a good shot but will do for year bird purposes.
There was actually a good mix of Common Mergansers and Red-breasted.
Random Wild Turkey flock in Roper area.
As I drove home in shame, I saw a large dark eagle on the side of the highway that looked great for Golden, but as I slammed on the breaks and pulled over he flew off before I could get some pics. I saw the general direction he flew in and spent the next 30 minutes driving back roads looking for him. I did find this above Bald Eagle which was all dark but when I got the scope and checked it over thoroughly I could see some white feathers in the neck area. Dang it! I will never know if the one I saw on the snag was a Golden but I am not about to call it without a pic.
I also made a stop at Glenburnie Quarry in New Bern to look for Eared Grebe on the way home but struck out. However, I am always happy to find a new birding spot and met a nice local in the process so not all a wash. There was an evening roost of thousands of gulls in the quarry so I bet something good will show up there soon.
This installment has lots of nifty birds that I'd love to see. I didn't get out to Matt or OBX or even Wrightsville Beach this winter; a combination of bad weather, bad back, and bad timing. So I can bird vicariously via your blog, which is why I enjoy your comments over wondering "What can this bird be?" It's true; we want to find that amazing bird that either does not belong there, or is a bird that everyone wants to see, or both. Kudos on the photos of the Eurasian Wigeon; that's a bird that I have missed more than once on a Coastal Plain trip. A few winters ago, another birder was standing RIGHT NEXT TO ME and had their scope on a male Eurasian Wigeon -- but he couldn't describe the location well enough, and the scope was set at six feet for his height. So I missed the bird, along with three other birders. The wigeon slipped behind reeds. Argh! Talk about the one that got away.
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