I'm still alive and birding when I can..
Red-winged Blackbird at Wade Park
I wonder if it's the same 2 Barn Swallows that nest under the wood footbridge at Wade. I might name them.. Frank and Beans?
Short-billed Dowitcher - note the flared supercilia and pinched V where they meet.
A very late Savannah Sparrow
Clapper Rail
It is sooo good to be able to go to the beach again.
Black-bellied Plover
Dunlin
Black Skimmer
Sanderling
Least Tern
Wilson's Phalarope! Dave H found this stunner and as if this writing it is still hanging out on the north end of Wrightsville Beach. Dave also found a Roseate Tern the same day but I was not able to relocate it.
Seaside Sparrow
I was hoping for one more good migration day up in the Raleigh area last weekend so I went to Bynum Bridge. A great spot but I got skunked and only had a handful of warblers.
Scarlet Tanager
After that I headed to Brumley Nature Preserve near the Duke Forest to try for Kentucky Warbler but it was too late in the day and again I was skunked.
Acadian Flycatcher
Someone reported a follow-up to Jelmer's Yellow-bellied Flycatcher from last week but I have my suspicion that it was a mis-ID. Jelmer's most certainly was, but the follow-up post was several days after his and I would think it would have moved on. Also, I saw this Pewee with a very yellow belly in the same area.
This moth or butterfly was totally camouflaged. Can you see it?
Widow Skimmer
Red Admiral?
Slivery Checkerspot?
Finally I headed to the North Carolina Botanic Garden in Chapel Hill to get my Louisiana Waterthrush for the year. I have heard a bunch but this was the first I have seen this year.
Louisiana Waterthrush
The Spit is open and I took a spin to find a White-rumped Sandpiper. Its hard to pick them out within thousands of peeps but I did finally spot one. Can you see it?
Zoomed in shot.
Semipalmated Sandpiper - I have combed through thousands of peeps looking for a stint over the years. One day.... I will be a hero!
Carnivorous Black Skimmer
Laughing Gull
Red Knot! The tag said HJT. I will have to submit this one.
A week later and the Phalarope is still in the same spot.
It was foraging literally at my feet at times. I took a nice cell phone video which I will post someday.
Caspian Tern
Tricolored Heron
White-rumped Sandpiper - when it rains it pours.
Red-headed Woodpecker at CB State Park
Yellow-billed Cuckoo also at CB State park
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Wood Duck
There is only 3 out of the 6 Wood Duck chicks left.. Life is hard.
Thinking about heading up to Raleigh one more time tomorrow. Kent had an Olive-sided Flycatcher and a Black-billed Cuckoo in one damn tree! Thats a great combo.
Red-winged Blackbird at Wade Park
I wonder if it's the same 2 Barn Swallows that nest under the wood footbridge at Wade. I might name them.. Frank and Beans?
Short-billed Dowitcher - note the flared supercilia and pinched V where they meet.
A very late Savannah Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Clapper Rail
It is sooo good to be able to go to the beach again.
Black-bellied Plover
Dunlin
Black Skimmer
Sanderling
Least Tern
Wilson's Phalarope! Dave H found this stunner and as if this writing it is still hanging out on the north end of Wrightsville Beach. Dave also found a Roseate Tern the same day but I was not able to relocate it.
Seaside Sparrow
I was hoping for one more good migration day up in the Raleigh area last weekend so I went to Bynum Bridge. A great spot but I got skunked and only had a handful of warblers.
Scarlet Tanager
After that I headed to Brumley Nature Preserve near the Duke Forest to try for Kentucky Warbler but it was too late in the day and again I was skunked.
Acadian Flycatcher
Someone reported a follow-up to Jelmer's Yellow-bellied Flycatcher from last week but I have my suspicion that it was a mis-ID. Jelmer's most certainly was, but the follow-up post was several days after his and I would think it would have moved on. Also, I saw this Pewee with a very yellow belly in the same area.
This moth or butterfly was totally camouflaged. Can you see it?
Widow Skimmer
At Brumley I did get a couple butterflies which I don't think I have seen before.
Red Admiral?
Slivery Checkerspot?
Finally I headed to the North Carolina Botanic Garden in Chapel Hill to get my Louisiana Waterthrush for the year. I have heard a bunch but this was the first I have seen this year.
Louisiana Waterthrush
The Spit is open and I took a spin to find a White-rumped Sandpiper. Its hard to pick them out within thousands of peeps but I did finally spot one. Can you see it?
Zoomed in shot.
Semipalmated Sandpiper - I have combed through thousands of peeps looking for a stint over the years. One day.... I will be a hero!
Carnivorous Black Skimmer
Laughing Gull
Red Knot! The tag said HJT. I will have to submit this one.
A week later and the Phalarope is still in the same spot.
Caspian Tern
Tricolored Heron
White-rumped Sandpiper - when it rains it pours.
Red-headed Woodpecker at CB State Park
Yellow-billed Cuckoo also at CB State park
Gray Catbird at Wade Park this morning.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Wood Duck
There is only 3 out of the 6 Wood Duck chicks left.. Life is hard.
Thinking about heading up to Raleigh one more time tomorrow. Kent had an Olive-sided Flycatcher and a Black-billed Cuckoo in one damn tree! Thats a great combo.
