The three stooges take a trip to the Spit and Score! (08Apr2014)

Greg, Harry and I took a trip out to the Ft. Fisher spit and had a ton of really good birds.  Nothing totally unusual, but just really good numbers and good looks. As usual Captain Sell piloted his Toyota with perfect precision and only scared the flocks off a couple times.  We tried our best to rustle up a Nelson's sparrow for my big year but we didn't have any luck in that respect.

Royal Tern - this one had a band, and I don't mean a Mariachi band.

The highlight was these two Gull-billed Terns.

Greg spotted this Spotted Sandpiper.  He was dancing to some tune we couldn't hear, and man he was grooving.

Western Sandpiper - these birds were clearly in breeding plumage with nice rufous tones on scapulars and head.

Greg and Harry both shouted "Common Tern!"  Or maybe Greg shouted it and Harry just thought it.  Common Tern on right, Forster's Tern on left and two Royal Terns in back.

Common Tern - note the red and black bicolored bill.  A Forster's in breeding plumage would be more of an orange bill.  Also this guy's tail was about flush with wing tips whereas a Forster's would have a longer tail.

Black-bellied Plover.

Wilson's Plover - we saw upwards of 20 of these.

Gull-billed Tern - I could post hundred of these.  I think its the coolest tern we have in NC.

Sandwich Tern and Royal Tern.

Gull-billed Tern.

Dunlin on top and Western Sandpiper on bottom.

Osprey.

American Oystercatcher.

What a great way to blow off some steam after a doozy of a day at work!

Great times!