Sea to Mountains and Back (22Aug-02Sep2020)

In the summer my focus naturally veers away from birds as I anxiously await fall migration.  I need to get myself a Butterfly and Plant guide because I am going batty looking aimlessly through the inter webs to confirm my photos.  I did download some "picture this" apps and they seem to work most of the time but not always.

Salt Marsh Skippers are somewhat easy when broadside as they have a nice pale stripe.  Also it was near a salt marsh at Fort Fisher.

I was confused by this seemingly darker and larger one but apparently its also a SM Skipper.

Gulf Fritillaries are ubiquitous in Wilmington in late summer and fairly easy to ID.

Im also starting to get into flowers too although I have not gotten to the point where I switch lenses so I have to stand back about 12 feet.  Blanket Flower is all over the beaches of SE North Carolina.

Rose of Plymouth (Sabatia stellaris)

Seaside Dragonlet

Peregrine Shearwater 

Ok, its not a shearwater but it looked like one.

If you go to the Fort Fisher spit during fall migration and find a large shorebird flock, just wait 5 minutes and you will probably see a Peregrine or Merlin.

In the morning on the 25th I started a mini 3 day vacation by watching sunrise while surfing at Wrightsville Beach.  I regret not taking photos but here is a photo from the sunrise report at WBLivesurf.com.  What a great way to start my vacation.  

Then I hightailed it up to Mount Mitchell where I spent three days enjoying some peace and quiet all alone camping on the highest mountain east if the Mississippi.  I had blocked out three mid-week days mainly because the campground has limited spots and always seems to be booked.  In fact when i booked it, the campsite I selected was the only one available and only for those three days in August.  However, it ended up being serendipitous because my biggest pet peeve on the Blue Ridge is the constant roar of motorcycles and going mid week had the pleasing side effect of comparative quiet with little motorcycle traffic.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on Joe-pye Weed

Pipevine Swallowtail

Eastern Black Swallowtail 

Pipevine Swallowtail

That evening I set up camp with an amazing view and headed to the top to watch the sunset.

The sunset was amazing but as usual pictures don't do it justice.  I even did a time-lapse on my phone but it didn't come out the way I hoped.

I knew the birding on top would be a little slow as migration had not really started in earnest, but I still had a good time and found some birds.

BT Blue

BT Green

Blackburnian - they never came down low so I had to deal with this super cropped pic.

BT Green

BT Blue female

A ratty looking BT Green

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Cabbage White

Yellow Jewelweed was blooming everywhere

Adult Broad-winged Hawk

I am going with Summer Azure on this, female.

Monarch

Sleepy Orange

Great Spangled Fritillary nectarine on Joe-pye Weed.

Ventral view of same butterfly

Fiery Skippers appear to be rare in the mountains?  But this seems to be one to me.

Pipevine Swallowtail

Tennessee Warbler

Cedar Waxwings including really pale juvenile birds

Young Broad-winged Hawk

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail I think on native coneflower

Pipevine on Bull or Pasture Thistle?

Tennessee

The mountains were great but next time I will try to time the migration better.

Back home I have been taking walks with the wife.  The following pics are from Poplar Grove Plantation and the adjacent Abbey Foy Nature Preserve one hot afternoon.

Common Checkered Skipper

Clouded Skipper

Red-banded Hairstreak

Carolina Satyr

Spotted Beebalm was everywhere.

Thread-waisted Wasps doing the nasty.

On another walk at Airlie Gardens....

Gulf Fritillary

Red-tailed Hawk sitting in the 500 Year Old Airlie Oak.

Meanwhile at the ILM airport, I have not been able to find Upland SPs.  

Cooper's hawk male doing it's best to look like a Sharpie.

Burnt Mill Creek is totally overgrown including the creek itself choked with Water Hyacinth someone probably dumped from an aquarium.  I am not sure what kind of idiot would think they are being humane by dumping their unwanted fish.  

Whirlabout

Black Skimmer at WB.