Hello birders, Today was the Southport CBC and we were assigned the Ft Fisher Spit. Captain Harry Sell was at the wheel which is only appropriate as he is a Captain. Greg Massey and Shun Endo were in attendance as well. Greg was in first Mate position with myself and Shun in the backseat. We had a great time except Greg wouldn't stop signing an old song from the 60's - AlleyOop by the Hollywood Argyles. I had to check it out when I got home to see what all the hype was about. Apparently it was a hit in it's time, but Greg never seems to have let it go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz6IpmmYSXA. By the end of the car ride we were all singing it right along with him.
As for birds, Greg and Harry got the only really interesting bird (Razorbill) sea-watching while Shun and I were getting the three salt-marsh Sparrows (Saltmarsh, Nelson's and Seaside). However, what we lacked in species we got extraordinary numbers. Shun and I had at least 70-80 Seaside sparrows in a pretty small area. Dunlin numbers were ridiculous, in the thousands. Also good numbers of Dowitchers and Western Sandpiper with a few Red Knots and other usuals.
My nemesis bird for over a year now has been an American Bittern. Shun has located one in a little honey hole by the aquarium in the past week. So we checked in the morning on the way out to the spit with no success and then decided to check on the way in. I started a little ahead of the group hoping that if it would be flushed that I would be the one to flush and see it. Unfortunately as I was heading onto the path, the group decided to go another way and flushed it before I got there. Oh well, at least I know where it is and we were able to add it to the count.
Unfortunately we were not able to relocate the Common Goldeneye or the Western Kingbird. Here are a few of the better pics from the day. I will have to go back out for Nelson's b/c my photos all came out poor due to light/distance.
Saltmarsh Sparrow - The buff on breast and sides was much lighter than face whereas on Nelson's the breast buff was almost same intensity as face. Thats the field-mark I have found is most helpful. However, there are others such as bill is proportionally longer, and streaks are more defined/darker. I have found that the Saltmarsh Sparrows are also much more bold. The Nelson's are difficult to photograph.
Seaside Sparrow - these were all over.
Ring-Billed Gull.
Black Scoter - Picture is poor due to rain, but I had to add it just because its not often you see a scoter sitting on the beach. We thought he might be injured but probably he just walks funny b/c he is not designed to be on the beach.
Great times!
No comments:
Post a Comment