Redheads have more fun but Canvasbacks steal the show (06-13Dec2015)

I have not been birding much since Arizona.  Work has me pulling overtime lately (like 10-12 hours a day with weekends included). However, I have made it out a couple times.  Last weekend I took the family to the East end of Ocean Isle to see if any rare gulls were around.  Nothing interesting but it was good to have the family with me.  I am thinking for 2016 I am going to try a New Hanover County Big Year instead of all NC so I can spend more time with my family.  Or maybe a tri-county one, including Pender and Brunswick.

A beautiful bird that never gets old.

Horned Grebe

I am all for alternative lifestyles but this was kind of awkward....

Kind of fun playing with the telephoto for portraits.  I was standing about 15 feet away for this one.  I can't decide if George looks more like a copy of me than Luke.

This weekend I was tempted to chase the Ruff at Alligator, but it sounds like he is way in the middle if a huge field, and I am starting to become a bit of a photo snob.  I don't want to get some crappy photo for 8 hours of driving.  So I stayed local instead.

At the Fort Fisher Aquarium the ducks are back in full force.

Redheads

The Spit was uneventful but gorgeous.  For some reason there was very little traffic.

American Oystercatcher

On my way back home, I decided to procrastinate by checking CB Lake. Usually there is nothing good to look at but this time....

Canvasback!!!

The mighty bellow of a Canvasback has been known to cause cardiac arrest in populations of domestic mallards.

He had a harem of coots waiting on him beak and foot.

And two lady friends nearby.  A real stud. But wait, these are Redhead ladies!!! Either they are unrelated to the Canvasback or he prefers his women a little more petite.

Canvasbacks are like Redhead 2.0's.

Cheers.