As soon as I saw this gull with red bill and feet I knew my old friend the Black-headed Gull was back. And this time he is an adult bird.
Merlins are everywhere lately.
A Roseate Spoonbill at the Aquarium pond at Fort Fisher was an interesting find.
Boat-tailed Grackles at FF
Blue-gray Gnatty
Sharp-shinned Hawks have been showing up everywhere lately.
Saturday I headed early to take the ferry to Shackleford Banks. I figured it was about time for the Bar-tailed Godwit to show up again and the tides were perfect. High tide was 9:30am which was just when the first ferry left.
First I found the Long-billed Curlew...
A late Wilson's Plover or maybe a winter resident.
Then mixed in with the shorebird flock waiting out high tide, I noticed my little godwit...
Bar-tailed Godwit in center.
Western SP
Dunlin
Sunday I spent most of the day looking for a Franklin's Gull that an out of state birder found on Saturday at Fort Fisher. When I couldn't find it at FF, I reasoned maybe it flew to Southport. Nothing in Southport so I headed to Ocean Isle as I have seen them there before. At the east end of OIB, I noticed a large congregation of gulls over on the west side of Holden Beach. So off I went, another 45 min drive only to find the west end of HB is gated and the only way to get to the west end is a 3.5 mile hike on the beach. So off I went... and when I finally got there most of the flock was gone and this guy was sitting on the beach.
Peregrine Falcon
All in all I think I walked about 11 miles on Sunday.
A Laughing Gull doing a Franklin's Gull impersonation.
Some very nice birds - roseates and curlews!
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