A Couple More Vagrants and a Missed Opportunity (17-25Feb2019)

I was scheduled for another pelagic this past weekend, and once again we were stymied this time by the weather.  However, not all was lost and I managed to make some lemonade out of the lemons.

Boat-tailed Grackle on Johnnie Mercer's Pier.

On Saturday I pulled the trigger on chasing the Common Redpoll in Taylorsville which has been seen 2-3 days in a row.

Common Redpoll - It took a good hour before it showed and there were several people watching so I didn't want to sidle up and scare it off.  Hence the heavy crop and poor quality.  One day I will crush this species.

Random Red-tailed Hawk in Winston-Salem area on my way east.  I tried for a better photo of a White-winged Scoter at Salem Lake but it was far off.

Driving to the OBX that afternoon I was getting tired and listening to a podcast, so probably was not as alert as I usually am.  Long story short, I got my first ticket in 15 years of living in NC.  I will go to court in May to see if I can get it wiped somehow.  ARGGhh..  I hate it when counties set up speed traps just because they need revenue, it defeats the purpose of why speed limits are set which is to promote safe driving.  When a stretch of road is so remote and straight but the speed limit is set so low intentionally it becomes obvious it is not for safety reasons.

In the morning I was fully suited up in super warm clothes and arrived at the dock to find out the trip was canceled.  ARGGGggghhh. Second trip in two weeks I was scheduled for that was canceled.  There has been only one pelagic this whole season.  Maybe not the best year for a big year after all.  I was rescheduled for 06Mar and headed out to Frisco to try for the continuing Western Grebe.

Ovenbird - I was airing down at the beach ramp and jumped in the bushes to pee and found this guy flipping leaves nonchalantly.

Ricky and Derb jumped in the bed of my truck due to my strict COVID regulations (no-one outside of my immediate family is allowed in my truck) and we headed down the beach. It didn't take long....

Western Grebe - the black cap extends around the eye which rules out Clarke's Grebe.

American Kestrel at Alligator NWR.

Back home during the week I only got out 1-2 times before or after work.

Sora at Wade Park in Wilmington.

Red-bellied Woodpecker - male.

Female outside the cavity.

Tufted Titmouse at Airlie Gardens

Brown-headed Nuthatch at Airlie

Common Grackles are pretty shy in my experience and a challenge to get decent photos of.

Pileated Woodpecker 

Meanwhile at the beach one afternoon...

White-winged Scoter - Masonboro Inlet

Long-tailed Duck

Savannah Sparrow - last night at Fort Fisher.  I tried for owls but dipped.

Thinking of going to Cape Lookout to try for Pheasant on Saturday.  No one has reported one in a long time but I did talk with a tourist on the boat last week when I went to Shackleford and he said he saw a Pheasant a couple months ago.  Cape Lookout is the only place in the state right now that has countable Pheasants.