Spring is almost here! (19-21Mar2021)

Winter decided to rear its ugly head one more time with a cold front over the past several days.  I was out jogging on Friday and as the front moved in I felt the temperature drop 10 degrees in seconds.  That being said cold fronts in Wilmington are still mild compared to further north.

Friday morning was light with the telecons so I headed to the Battleship first thing as I was still missing Snipe photos. The fields outside the battleship parking area are pretty reliable for snipe but I knew that seeing one on the ground was not likely so I got my crusher ready and walked through the field eventually flushing 3.

Wilson's Snipe - photographing snipe in mid air early in the morning when the light is still bad is not easy.

Virginia Rail

The Clappers at the Battleship all look like hybrids with King Rails.  Actually they look a lot like large Virginia Rails.

Virginia

Rusty Blackbird - still some rusty tips on the back feathers.

Mourning Doves

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Every year around this time, I just can't wait for spring migration and I head to Howell Woods to see what is coming through.  Most times in March I get skunked. For the most part this was true this March visit too but the few birds were offering good photography opportunities so I had fun.

Blue-gray Gnatty

Carolina Wren

American Goldfinch

Purple Finch - The feeders behind the visitor's center was chock full of finches.

Yellow-throated Warblers were singing.

Pine Siskin were thick.  I didn't see any evidence of disease in these finches.  Probably Howell Woods is remote enough to prevent too much overlap with the sick populations in the triangle.

White-throated Sparrow

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Pine Siskin

Purple Finch

Northern Cardinal

In the evening I took a sunset walk on the beach and was surprised to see a wedding party in front of Shell Island Resort.  Not a very good choice of dates.  The wind was howling and it was cold and overcast.

Wilson's Plover

Horned Grebes

I finally got to the large gull flock and it started pissing rain.  Luckily I had my umbrella but it was hard to look at the flock with one hand while holding the umbrella.

The Bonaparte Gulls were very plentiful.

Some were sporting some nice black markings but I couldn't pick out a Little Gull.  I am sure there was one in there somewhere.

Laughing Gulls were also numerous.

The Black-headed Gull is looking very spiffy!  Kind of like a laughing gull with a light colored mantle.

I went back first thing in the morning hoping to get better looks at the gulls but most of the good ones were out at sea.

Savannah Sparrow - almost looking good for Ipswich but maybe not.

Common Loons are starting to fly north.

Lake Waccamaw is a place I have not been to in a while and I figured might have a Red-necked Grebe.  No luck on that front but I had a nice walk in some nice sunny weather.

Yellow-throated Warbler

White-eyed Vireo

The vireo and warbler are a good sign that the migrants are on their way!!