Closing the Gap (05-11Mar2016)

The last week was spent trying to close the gap between seen only and photographed birds.  I have approximately 90% of my seen birds photographed and some of the misses are pretty easy (Common Grackle), although some are not (Owls and Woodcock).

Last weekend was spent at my son's soccer tournament in Myrtle Beach.  I know what all you crazy birders are thinking.... Huntington State Park!  I wish.  The whole time was spent watching soccer games and hanging with the family.  We even stayed in Murrells Inlet and I still did not get to go birding.  However, my son's team won their tournament so it was a good weekend.

This Ring-necked Duck was in a retention pond at Starbucks!  That was the extent of my weekend's birds.

During the week I hit up local spots before and sometimes after work.

Probably the best Sedge Wren pic I have captured.  I found this guy and he was skulking as usual, but I just played the waiting game and eventually he came out to say hi.

Early morning Razorbill stretch.

Pileated Woodpecker at Airlie and yes that damn Nashville still eludes me.

I did not touch the colors on this, the crest is just that red.

This has been the winter of the decade for Blue-headed Vireos.  I have seen them everywhere.

I hope I never take Razorbills for granted.  They still excite me.

Does this guy look happy or what? Tell all your Northern friends that ILM is the place to be!  Bring Black Guillemot and Common Murre and Mr. Puffin with you next time.

The Lark Sparrow(s) are looking snazzy at the Coastal Federation.

Razorbill

Purple Sandpiper chilling with his Sanderling buddies.

There was at least 65 Bonaparte's and I combed through them all hoping for Little Gull.

Our friend the Burrowing Owl is still hanging out at his usual spot.  He might be waiting a long time if he is looking for a mate.

The Laughing Gulls are back into fine form.

Friday afternoon after some work obligations I managed to get to Crabtree Lake to look for my missing Greater Scaup.  I was totally deflated when I got to the Dam side where the big Scaup flock usually hangs out.  Zero birds!!! Procrastinators usually are losers and this was no exception.  It has been so warm that the huge raft of ducks probably left.  However, I could see a small flock of about 20 birds way over on the other side of the lake so I went over and parked in back of Aviation Commercial Park and hiked the trail where I had previously looked for a winter Nashville.

They were far enough that ID was difficult, but I was fairly certain that the jazz of many of the birds fit Greater Scaup.  Now that I am looking at the heavily cropped photos, I think I see about a 50/50 split.  With the resting birds, you can maybe just tell that some have more rounded head profiles and the Lessers have a peaked and if viewed at the right angle, thin head profile.

I believe this is a Greater on the left and possible Lesser on the right.  The left bird has a lower head profile (bill is closer to body), more rounded head, cleaner white back, thicker bill and with the sun behind me you can just barely see the green sheen.

Not ideal, but I think diagnostic.  I could have waited for the flock to get closer to shore, but I was on limited time as my real quarry was Woodcocks at Mason Farm.

I think these birds which were on one side of the flock looked good for Greater Scaup.  The male on the left has a nice low and rounded head profile.  The one on the far right has a relatively thick head when looking away.

Here is a pulled out view, I think the ones on right side of frame are Greaters and left side are Lessers although I don't think this is an exact science from such a distance.

At Mason Farm, I arrived in time to get some regular birds and even flushed a Woodcock in full light that I managed a decent flight shot of but was so disappointed this morning to find that it has vanished from my card.  I was showing a nice couple the pics last night when we were listening to the flight displays and I must have somehow deleted the decent flight shot by accident.  ARGHHH!!

Field Sparrow serving as my practice shot in poor light.

The couple that joined me for the Woodcock displays were super nice.  The woman took control of my flashlight and I managed a really poor record shot of a peenting Woodcock but it did not allow us close enough to really get a decent shot.

If you have never witnessed the Woodcock displays, you really need to get out and try.  It is an otherworldly experience.

Great times.