Sunday, March 23, 2014

West Side Story (23Mar2014)

First off I am not a fan of musicals.  The title is in reference to the West Side of Holly Shelter Wildlife Management Area.

I started my birding today at Burnt Mill Creek from the Cross City Trail in Wilmington.  I spent way too much time scrutinizing a goose that looked good for a Greater White-fronted Goose, but after much deliberation I finally decided was a domestic Greylag.  Talk about wild goose chase.  Picked up some easy birds I still did not have photographs of:


                  Red-Shouldered Hawk.


Ruddy Duck - have seen a ton of these but I can't seem to get a photo I am happy with.  At the risk of not getting one before the winter is over here is shot from today.


Brown Thrasher - this bird was so intent in flipping leaves in search of worms and other critters that it did not notice me sneak up on him/her.

I tried the ILM airport for possible migrant shorebirds but nothing of interest.  So I headed to my final destination - Holly Shelter Marina which is a trail that runs along the NorthEast Cape Fear River and then about a mile down opens up to a huge impoundment.


Yellow-throated Warbler


I was really looking for the Lincoln Sparrows that Sherry Lane saw a couple days ago but no luck.


Northern Rough-winged Swallow - swallows are very difficult to photograph so I will settle for this pic.  Uniform brown on topside.


Lighter brown on belly with almost white vent.

Great times.


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