Apologies for the blog silence, I have been very busy getting some materials for you and finally have a little time to post some.
Firstly let me share with you the link for my other Blog which will eventually be my primary blog once I get my photographic life list filled out from my photo archives.
Photographicbirdlistomania.blogspot.com
I know, its a long name, but just save it in your favorites. I have posted some pictures from my Xmas vacation in Eleuthera, Bahamas. Just click on the ribbon header for Calypso to feast your eyes on Kirtland's Warblers and some other trash birds.
However, for now I will stick with this blog and even start my 2016 list. Who knows what will come of that but I can say that last year I have improved on my 2014 big year. Maybe I can do it again this year! And maybe in 10 years I will eventually beat the record for NC. I hope to post a Year in Review for 2015 at some point, but that will take some time.
Here are some pics from my first outing this year. It did not take a brain surgeon to figure out where I was going to go once I got back from the Bahamas. All the uber rarities in the Alligator NWR are of NC made the choice easy.
I actually landed in Orlando, FL on January 1st at around 1pm and my family made the drive up home. We got home at 1am on January 2nd. I was on the road for Alligator by 3:45am...... Needless to say I was exhausted but the prospect of lifers was giving me the boost I needed to make the 4 hour drive.
First stop was Beasley Rd in Roper. I was happy to find Erla and the gang already there purely by chance. We quickly found the reported two Ross's Geese and thought we had a Cackling Goose too. However, they were very distant as you can see from above pic. I also thought the Ross's looked a little big to me so I left them off my list. Same for the Cackling. However, it's quite likely they were all correct IDs, as the Canada Geese being seen here are frequently of the lesser variety and make the other birds appear smaller.
Next stop was the Western Kingbirds and a quick look at Lake Phelps at Pettigrew State Park to try for Common Mergansers or Canvasbacks. I dipped on all three. I thought I had Common Mergs, but they were very distant and due to the shimmer on water surface it was hard to be sure.
Next up was round 2 with Ms. Ruff or Reeve at River Rd. We spent about an hour looking through the Yellowlegs and then this guy ruined the party.
Peregrine Falcon
I took a bunch of photos of all the shore birds as they flushed and circled and studied the pics but I could not pick out a Reeve.
A little further east on the roads in Alligator I came across this obliging Wood Duck.
Such a stud deserves a pretty lady..
My first definitive rarity for the day was this nice Ash-throated Flycatcher. Odd that this was my first rarity last year too...
American Kestrel - I was well on the way to a 3 falcon weekend.
After dipping on the Swainson's Hawk we decided to cut our losses and head for a somewhat sure bet of the Trumpeter Swans at Mattamuskeet.
On the way we decided to stop at Lake Landing to try for the Brewer's Blackbirds that JFuss found a couple days prior. We dipped on the BBs but a nice fly over of Snow Geese was a nice consolation.
I count 4-5 blue morphs in the above formation.
At Mattamuskeet I found a group of swans near the entrance and started snapping away thinking they were the Trumpeters.
This Trumpeter had me tricked for about 5 seconds.... Then I saw the little bit of yellow near the eye.
A little further Erla and the gang got me on the right birds. Trumpeter Swan!!! Note the nice even slope on top of bill and lack of any yellow.
The ID was very subtle though, for example the bird in above pic is a Tundra.
Now a Trumpeter - I think the best way to describe it is that the black area in front of the eye does not really pinch like it does on a Tundra. The pinch on a Tundra causes the eye to look more isolated. On the above Trumpeter there is no pinch and the eye looks like an extension of the black area on bill.
Here is a nice side by side comparison. Trumpeter on the left and Tundra on the right.
Tundra Swan in foreground with Trumpeter in background.
Since I still had a couple more hours until dark, I got back in my truck and hightailed it back to Alligator. This decision turned out to be a good one.
I got to the spot on Long Curve Rd and ran into Jeff L and the Gattos. It did not take long before a nice sized raptor flew into a snag on the side of the road.
Swainson's Hawk!!! Lifer. Not sure how I have missed this in my travels out west. Look at those long falcon like wing tips!
Unfortunately the failing light prevented a real proper crushing, but beggars can't be choosers.
We ended the day with a nice Short-eared Owl sighting at dusk which was too distant and dark for pictures.
Somehow I made it home Saturday night in one piece. Maybe the Redbulls, coffee and visions of 2 lifers helped buoy me all the way.
Sunday was the Southport CBC. I was exhausted but had previously committed to bringing my wife's coworker on his first CBC. I was glad I did go. Firstly its always nice to meet another birder (Yes James you are now officially a birder, as your name is on the CBC paperwork), and secondly we had some good birds on the spit.
Merlin!! And the three falcon weekend was complete.
Black Scoter
Finally some birds from Monday morning and evening.
I quickly found this Lark Sparrow refund during the Wilmington CBC at the Coastal Federation Building at Wrightsville Beach.
The Pacific Loon that every one else and their mother have been seeing eluded me on Johnny Mercer's Pier, but some nice Gannet shots made up for it.
A final stop at the South end of WB netted me a nice adult Northern Harrier - the Gray Ghost.
On my way back to work, this adult male Cooper's was nice enough to sit still.
In the evening after work the boys and I headed to Greenfield Lake to look for Cave Swallows.
Hmmm... a mystery and undoubtedly of dubious and mixed lineage. I appreciated him/her none the less.
Why not wrap up Accipiters while I am at it..
Immature or female Sharp-shinned Hawk - tail is not appreciably squared off in this picture, but I assure you this bird was very small and obviously a Sharpie.
Not a bad way to start the year. Hang in with me dear readers, I promise to post more frequently now.
Cheers.
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