5MR Ketchup (10Sep - 08Oct2019)

Back from Cali but first I have some house-cleaning to do with pictures from home in the fall.

This Brown Pelican was one of the first pics I took with my new camera body.  No more pixelation issues in the background.

White-eyed Vireo adult at Wade Park in Wilmington.

First winter/fall White-eyed Vireo - the eyes have not become white yet.

Anhinga at Burnt Mill

Common Yellowthroat

Common Checkered Skipper?

Rocky at Airlie

Parulas started to come in thick in September at Airlie.

Horace's Duskywing?

Chestnut-sided Warbler at Airlie

Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Airlie

Clapper Rail at the Trail's End boat ramp which is less than a mile from my house.

Distant photo of a Bald Eagle at Airlie.

Black-throated Blue Warbler at Airlie

A Barred Owl at Burnt Mill which flew before I could crush his face.  They love hunting crawfish in the creek.

My first Phaon Crescent

Pearl Crescent? at Burnt Mill

I never tire of shooting Anhingas.

Painted Turtles? at Airlie

Swainson's Thrush at Airlie Gardens in late Sept.

Female BT Blue Warbler at the Summer's Rest Trail

In the last few days of Sept, the fall migration really started to heat up, but unfortunately mostly at Greenfield Lake which is out of the 5MR.

This Yellow Warbler and some other warbler species was enjoying bath on some large ornamental leaves around the fountain at Greenfield.

Parulas were everywhere.

Northern Waterthrush at Greenfield

American Redstarts were thick as mosquitos at Alligator NWR in July.

Of course the waves are always good in Sept and I have been surfing when they are good over birding which is a flip of priorities from last year.

Brown Thrasher at Airlie

Initially I thought the tail was red enough for Hermit, but I changed my mind to Gray-cheeked on this thrush.  The tail wasn't really any more red than the shoulder and facial pattern looked good for Gray-cheeked.  EDIT: a friend pointed out this could be a Veery...  hmm.. maybe I will leave unidentified.

RE Vireo

Yellow Warbler at Airlie

Nashville Warbler at Airlie

Same Nashville

RE Vireo

Prairie Warbler at Airlie

Red-bellied WP showing his namesake.

B-and-W Warbler at Airlie

In October the warblering (if that is not a word, it should be) got really good at Greenfield Lake which is unfortunately mostly out of my 5MR.

Yellowstart

Wilson's Warbler foraging low down but always remaining hidden.

Blackburnian Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

BT Green Warbler high in the canopy at Greenfield.

B&W Warblers were common

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Chestnut-sided Warbler hanging out in the Bald Cypresses

Hundreds of Redstarts but only a handful adult males.

A couple days later on 08Oct I could not resist to get more warbler action despite some rainy weather and work teleconferences.  I put on my headset and hung out in the pagoda and just took my calls while burning out my retinas on colorful migrants in the myrtles lining the pagoda.

Prairie Warbler

Summer Tanager

Yellow-throated Warbler

Yellowstart

Parulas were everywhere!

The start of the end showed up in the form of a Yellow-rumped Warbler.  When butterbutts start showing, you know the other warblers are almost gone.

Tennessee Warblers are fairly rare in New Hanover county.

Tennessee Warbler

Looks like I am going to need one more installment to get totally caught up on local birds for the 5MR and fall migration.  Then I can start my Cali posts.

Cheers.