Carolina Beach SP and the "Spit" (24Apr2014)

I woke up at 5am to go look for Chuck-will's widow this morning at CBSP.  My theory is if I can get them still signing in the dark and pinpoint where they are, I can creep up as it gets more light and get a passable picture.  Unfortunately I was a tad late and it was already getting light when I got there.  But anyway it was very birdy and I was able to pick up my first of the season Painted Bunting even though the picture was bad due to poor light.

Summer Tanager - this one had his mate with him.  Bright yellow female.

Painted Bunting.

After work I met Harry for a drive on the spit.  To say there was alot of birds would be a gross understatement. And Harry said there were many more the day prior.

Flock of a thousand at least.  Mostly Dowitchers, Dunlin, Black-Bellied Plover, Peeps and Whimbrel.

Semipalmated Sandpiper - Bill smaller than Western, legs dark.  The Westerns are almost all quite rufous at this point.  The Semipalmated were somewhat drab in comparison.

Least Sandpiper - yellow legs and dainty bill.

Black-bellied Plover - a couple of them were almost fully in breeding plumage.

Thanks for the great times Harry!