That's right, I am moving my blogging activity, not my physical abode. For the recent past I have been using that address to add a life list of birds, linked in taxonomic order on the side bar. However, moving forward I will keep that format and add my regular blog entries so it will be a mix of the two. I don't plan on doing another North Carolina state big year next year so I can focus on maybe some local lists and also on some travels abroad... In fact, I am starting 2017 out with a bang and headed to Cuba on 29Dec2016. Look for that entry on the new blog address around the 10Jan2017.
Today's entry here is a final entry for 2016. It was a good year in North Carolina (from a strictly birding perspective) and although I ended the year with one less on my year list in eBird (330 vs 331 in 2015), I ended up with more on my photographed list (322 vs 321 in 2015). Yes I know, too many parentheses. In the final stretch I knew I wasn't going to beat any state record so I eased back on the throttle and focused on work and family. I could have easily picked up a Iceland Gull, Long-tailed Duck and Snow Buntings with a long drive but I just didn't have the desire.
Here are some photos I took locally over the past week. I tried to get the above birds locally and even paddled out to Mason Inlet jetty a couple times but no dice.
Bonaparte's Gull - Mason Inlet
Belted Kingfisher - Basin Trail
Baltimore Oriole - Basin Trail.
Golden-crowned Kinglet - Basin Trail
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Piping Plover - Mason Inlet
Female Common Goldeneye - Ft Fisher Aquarium pond.
Palm Warbler - Ft. Fisher rocks.
Hooded Merganser - Ft Fisher Aquarium pond.
Blue-headed Vireo - also at the aquarium pond.
Black-and-white Warbler - apparently nuthatches are not the only ones that can climb upside down.
Lesser Yellowlegs - Ft. Fisher Basin Trail.
I don't want to end the year and this blog on a bad picture of a bunch of Yellowlegs. So here are a few pics from the past three years as a kind of highlight reel.
2014 was my first attempt at a NC big year and I was still learning. I had an awful camera so none of the photos were worth keeping with the exception of my best bird of the year and maybe my life:
Yellow-nosed Albatross
In 2015 my camera still sucked but I was getting better at using it and better at finding and getting close to birds.
Arctic Tern found on Topsail Beach during a survey I was helping with.
South Polar Skua on a Patterson Pelagic.
A Chuck-will's-widow that we found with an egg. Sam C ended up seeing the young chick later.
This Limpkin was found in Catawba County by someone else and I had a kayaking adventure to find it. The best finds usually involved a little extra work.
The Gray-cheeked Thrush Program at Brian P's house is always a hoot.
My last real good bird in 2015 was the Burrowing Owl at Masonboro Inlet. Although I did not find it originally, I felt like it was my bird because I later re-found it in 2016 and regularly checked up on it leaving updates on the listserv.
2016 started out with a huge bang and 2 very good birds for NC so I figured it would be a good year.
Trumpeter Swan at Mattamuskeet
Swainson's Hawk at Alligator NWR.
Common Goldeneye in Raleigh
Around this time my new lens was allowing me to get better photos.
Glaucous Gull on a Brian P Pelagic.
Northern Fulmar
Razorbill
Louisiana Waterthrush
Yellow-crowned Night-heron at Burnt Mill Creek in Wilmington.
This MEGA rarity Little Egret was far away and the photo suffered but it deserves an honorable mention.
Mountain Plover at Ophelia Inlet.
Eastern Screech Owl at Carolina Beach SP.
Golden-winged Warbler at Rich Mountain.
I found 4 Black-billed Cuckoos this year. When it rains it pours.
Snowy Plover at Rich Inlet
Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Fort Fisher.
Franklin's Gull at Wrightsville Beach.
Reddish Egret at Shackleford.
Hurricane Matthew was a bit of a dud here but I did see a bunch of pelagic terns and this Sooty was cool to see up close. I think he made it although I can't be sure.
This Bar-tailed Godwit at Shackleford Banks was a good one.
Merlin at Fort Fisher.
Anyhow you get the idea. I hope 2017 has some good birds in store and I hope to see you out the field. Don't forget to visit my other blog in the New Year. Happy Holidays.
