Getting Low at Skeet Skeet Skeet (10-16May2016)

If you don't recognize the Lil John reference in the title, you are probably better off.  I am just going to jump right in to the pictures because I am not feeling loquacious or glib today.  The following pics were leading up to the grand finale at Mattamuskeet on Sunday. Hence the title of this post.

Rocky at Greenfield Lake.

Bloated corpse of a giant Snapping Turtle

Young Brown Thrasher

Acadian Flycatcher - Lee Buck Rd.

On nest!

Cattle Egret or prehistoric murderer?

Indigo Bunting also at Lee Buck Rd

Don't you love it when Sandpipers are exactly what they look like?  Least SP at Federal Rocks

Semipalmated SP

I have been checking the pond at Ft Fisher to see if the Purple Gallinule from previous years has come back but this gator probably not helping in attracting him.

Bobolink!  Ft Fisher Spit

Bobo Female

Glossy Ibis also on the Spit

American Avocet at the Spit

Yellow-breasted Chat - Catfish Lake in the Croatan

Swainson's Warbler also at Catfish

Horrible photo heavily cropped and lightened but I assure you it is an Eastern Wood Pewee.  I will get better photos but I wanted to get this out of the way now so I can remain laser focused on the harder birds.

First thing when we pulled up to Lake Landing at Mattamuskeet on Sunday we heard the distinctive call of a Black-billed Cuckoo.  It did not take long to find him.

Turns out this was only one of two birds hanging out together and giving the impression of a breeding pair!  Hopefully folks will respect their privacy and not overuse tape.  It is a small area surrounded by impoundments, so I would think relocating them without playback will be relatively easy.

The rest was just icing on the cake and I was not even miffed that the Little Egret and Ruff were no shows.

Black-necked Stilt

Practicing Kung Fu

Stilt Sandpipers were everywhere.

We saw a couple Bank Swallows but taking photos of feeding swallows is never easy.  I managed some poor record shots.

You can see the "necklace" here. I hope to get better photos later but this will do just in case.

We saw several puddle ducks that were presumably injured by hunters.  I am tempted to go on a rant but I will hold my tongue.  This Ring-necked looks relatively healthy except for the fact that he was not flying.

Ruby-throated HB drinking from Milkweed?

Prothonotaries never get old.

Next weekend - pelagic slayfest!