September Sessions (10-18Sep2021)

Back home the birding has been gettin better, but we still have not had a great day.  

Red-eyed Vireo at Burnt Mill Creek.

Traill's Flycatcher - probably Willow

Presumed Willow eating a Blue Dasher

Yellow-breasted Chat

A Nashville Warbler way up at the top of a tree at BMC.

Another Chat at a different spot along the creek on another day.

This wasp was HUGE!  iNat identified it as a Large Four-spotted Scoliid Wasp.

Yellow Warbler at Fort Fisher

This Spotted Orbweaver at BMC had been present in the same spot for weeks, carefully taking down its web in the mornings.

Initially I pegged this little guy as a Hooded Warbler but I see now its a Wilson's, found at BMC.

Note the petite bill and the supercilium which flares behind the eye.

Here is a Hooded photographed the next day in the same spot with a heavier bill and less of a flaring supercilum behind the eye.

The same Spotted Orbweaver several days later.

American Avocet at Fort Fisher spit.

Some sort of Grasshopper I am still waiting on ID for.

Red Knot

Caspian Tern

Blue Grosbeak at BMC

RE Vireo

Acadian Flycatcher

The resident deer at Belvue Cemetery

Sometimes a Common Yellowthroat can look like another more interesting warbler like a Nashville or a Connecticut. Its these times where subtle differences in structure needs to be scrutinized or sometimes you can get a vibe or gestalt that quickly leads you in the right direction.  This bird immediately screamed Common Yellowthroat.

American Redstart

99% of Redstarts we get on the coast are female or immature "yellowstarts" so its nice to get an adult male.

More pics coming soon!