Wood Duck at Sandy Point State Park.

It was not a promising morning, weather-wise. It was cloudy with threatening skies, so I didn’t leave until 6:30 or so, and I decided to checkout Sandy Point first. Graeme found a woodpecker nest there that I wanted to check out.

I never found the nest, but I did see a few birds, albeit in poor light. I’m going to try it again next week.

Canada Goose 2016-14

This Canada Goose should be hatching some goslings soon.

Great Blue Heron 2016-10 Great Blue Heron 2016-9

Great Blue Heron 2016-11

There’s always a lot of Great Blue Herons at Sandy Point.

Wood Duck 2016-34

This is the first Wood Duck I’ve seen at Sandy Point.

Brown Thrasher at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.

I made a short stop at Sandy Point this morning, in hope that the sunrise would improve, but it didn’t get any better.

It’s just as easy to go to the Eastern Shore as anywhere else at that point, so I headed for Terrapin. I did manage one warbler, but I’m still not seeing any large numbers.

CBEC was next, and  it wasn’t bad. I found out how badly you can get stuck in the mud if you venture too far out in the marsh wearing big boots.

Sandy Point 221

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

Wood Duck 2016-33

Several Wood Ducks flew across the marsh ponds.

Lesser Yellowlegs 2016-10

Lesser Yellowlegs 2016-11

This Lesser Yellowlegs flew right in front of me as I was watching the Egrets.

Palm Warbler 2016-2

Palm Warbler 2016-3

This is my second Palm Warbler of the season.

Tree Swallow 2016-30

Tree Swallows will often let you get very close.

Mallard 2016-38

Several Mallard s flew into the marsh pond at Terrapin.

Chickadee 2016-9

This Chickadee, like most, ignored me as he was feeding.

Snowy Egret 2016-7

Snowy Egrets are starting to appear in larger numbers.

Brown Thrasher 2016-1

This Brown Thrasher was the last bird I photographed this morning.

 

Common Yellowthroat at Wooton’s Landing.

A migrating warbler at last!  I went to Wooton’s early, and found a few birds right away. I got a look at a few nice birds who didn’t pose, but I did well enough.

The last two Spring migrations have been lousy for me, so I hope to change my luck this year.

Cardinal 2016-6

This Cardinal was the first bird I photographed this morning.

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher 2016-2

This Blue Gray Gnatcatcher appears to be gathering nesting material.

Swamp Sparrow 2016-8

Swamp Sparrows are numerous at Wooton, but they can be difficult to see, as they spook easily.

Field Sparrow 2016-2

Field Sparrow 2016-3

I don’t recall seeing a Field Sparrow at Wooton prior to this one.

White Eyed Vireo 2016-1

My first White Eyed Vireo of the season. Their call will be heard frequently in places I visit.

Red Winged Blackbird 2016-15

This female Red Winged Blackbird was very intent on eating.

Common Yellowthroat Warbler 2016-1

This is a male Common Yellowthroat Warbler . Cornell: “A broad black mask lends a touch of highwayman’s mystique to the male Common Yellowthroat. Look for these furtive, yellow-and-olive warblers skulking through tangled vegetation, often at the edges of marshes and wetlands. Females lack the mask and are much browner, though they usually show a hint of warm yellow at the throat. Yellowthroats are vocal birds, and both their witchety-witchety-witchety songs and distinctive call notes help reveal the presence of this, one of our most numerous warblers.”

Bald Eagle at Terrapin Nature Park

A brief stop at Sandy Point revealed another banal sunrise, and I went straight to Terrapin.

The morning began slowly, but picked up after an hour, but I only found one interesting migrant, who didn’t stick around long enough for a photo.

I then made a quick stop at CBEC to try for some Tree Swallows, which turned out well.

Fox 46

This Fox made a brief appearance while I was looking for the Eagles.

 

Lesser Yellowlegs 2016-8

Lesser Yellowlegs 2016-9

A lone Lesser Yellowlegs was foraging in the pond.

Tree Swallow 2016-25 Tree Swallow 2016-24 Tree Swallow 2016-22

Tree Swallow 2016-27

Tree Swallow 2016-23

Tree Swallow 2016-26

The CBEC Tree Swallows were unusually cooperative this morning.

Snowy Egret 2016-6

Four Snowy Egrets were fishing in the pond.

Carolina Wren 2016-5

It’s easy to find a singing Carolina Wren at this time of year.

Osprey 2016-40

I waited awhile for this Osprey to catch a fish, but to no avail.

Chickadee 2016-7

Chickadee 2016-8

This Chickadee has found an insect.

 

Bald Eagle 2016-44 Bald Eagle 2016-43 Bald Eagle 2016-42

Bald Eagle 2016-45

A pair of Bald Eagles soared over the marsh ponds.

Bald Eagle 2016-46

Look closely and you can see the band on this Bald Eagle’s right foot. (Click to make the image larger).

 

Eastern Towhee at Governor Bridge Natural Area.

Yesterday I tried Governor Bridge again, without much luck. I know the migrants are here, but they seem to be avoiding me.

I had an early appointment this morning, so I went to Truxtun Park, just a mile from home, and found a couple of good birds.

I’m sure things will pick up soon.

Truxtun Park 4

Truxtun Park 3

Views from the bridge at Truxtun Park.

Hermit Thrush 2016-3

I got a good, close up look at this Hermit Thrush in the woods.

Red Winged Blackbird 2016-14

This female Red Winged Blackbird seemed to be foraging in the water.

Mallard 2016-37

This Mallard flew right over the bridge.

Swamp Sparrow 2016-4

Swamp Sparrow 2016-6

Swamp Sparrows are numerous at Truxtun Park, but they usually stay well hidden in the reeds.

Eastern Towhee 2016-3

Eastern Towhee 2016-4

Eastern Towhee 2016-5

Eastern Towhees towhees are fairly common, but it’s not always easy to get a decent image.

Green Heron at Wooton’s Landing.

After dithering a while, I decided to try Wooton this morning. It’s not always easy to choose, and sometimes I wonder if I’d have done better had I gone elsewhere.

In any case, I made a good decision this morning. I found a warbler, at last, as well as a Green Heron, which is first of the season. A couple of cooperative ducks and a muskrat were icing on the wildlife cake.

Muskrat 10

A partly obscured Muskrat is better than no Muskrat.

Swamp Sparrow 2016-3

Wooton is a great place to find Swamp Sparrows.

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher 2016-1

Blue Gray Gnatcatchers will be mating and building nests for a while.

Great Blue Heron 2016-7

This Great Blue Heron flew in and surveyed the scene.

American Coot 2016-4

These American Coot s were in the same pond as a few days ago.

Chickadee 2016-6

This Chickadee was feeding very busily.

Wood Duck 2016-29

Wood Duck 2016-25

Wood Duck 2016-28

Wood Duck 2016-30

Wood Duck 2016-27

Wood Duck 2016-26

I found a Wood Duck with her chicks in one of the marsh ponds.

Blue Winged Teal 2016-5

Blue Winged Teal 2016-4

These Blue Winged Teal were in a different pond than a few days ago.

Green Heron 2016-2

Green Heron 2016-1

This Green Heron was fairly close, but the lighting was poor.

 

Yellow Rumped Warbler at Terrapin Nature Park.

I met Graeme early, and we went right to Sandy Point, which gave up a decent sunrise for a change.

We then went to Terrapin, which was very quiet:virtually nothing in the marsh ponds and only the usual suspects on the  trails. We spent about three hours searching, and didn’t have much luck at all.

We stopped by the fox den and got a few distant images.

Sandy Point 218

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

Red Winged Blackbird 2016-13

Mourning Dove 2016-4

A Mourning Dove flew over as were searching the marsh pond.

White Throated Sparrow 2016-9

This White Throated Sparrow was deep in the bushes.

Yellow Rumped Warbler 2016-11

Yellow Rumped Warblers are still the only warblers I’m finding.

Fox 45

Fox 44

The fox wasn’t as cooperative as last time.

Tree Swallow at Patuxent NWR.

I decided to change my luck this morning and go to Patuxent South, which I haven’t visited for a year. A few friends have done well there, so I figured it was my turn.

It wasn’t bad, with plenty of birds to choose from, but still no warblers. I had the place basically to myself, and that’s always a bonus.

Osprey 2016-39

This Osprey was resting after a bout of fishing.

Canada Goose 2016-9

Canada Goose 2016-10

I found this Canada Goose with goslings at Patuxent North.

Wood Duck 2016-21

Wood Duck 2016-22

Several Wood Ducks were foraging in the shallow water.

Killdeer 2016-2 Killdeer 2016-1

Killdeer 2016-4

Killdeer 2016-3

Four or five Killdeer were feeding along the edge of the lake.

Double Crested Cormorant 2016-20

Four Double Crested Cormorants flew by early in the day.

Bluebird 2016-5

This Bluebird was feeding his chicks.

Mallard 2016-35

Mallards flew over the lake several times.

Lesser Yellowlegs 2016-5

Lesser Yellowlegs 2016-6

This Lesser Yellowlegs was foraging alongside the geese.

Tree Swallow 2016-20

Tree Swallow 2016-21

Tree Swallow 2016-18 Tree Swallow 2016-17

Tree Swallow 2016-19

Tree Swallows were also busy feeding their young.

 

Red Fox at Terrapin Nature Park.

Once again I drove right by Sandy Point, which featured yet another dreary sunrise. Terrapin is supposed to open at sunrise, but I arrived a good 15 minutes early, to find it was already open. Kudos to the gate guy.

There’s still no warblers to be found,  but  there was enough variety to make for a good day. The Fox was a really nice find, and she had kits!

Bald Eagle 2016-41

This Bald Eagle was watching the Ospreys closely, in hopes of stealing a meal.

Osprey 2016-35 Osprey 2016-34

Osprey 2016-36

Ospreys will be easy to find until the Fall.

Yellow Rumped Warbler 2016-9

Snowy Egret 2016-10

Yellow Rumped Warblers are molting into breeding plumage.

Snowy Egret 2016-5

Snowy Egrets are arriving from Central America.

Snowy Egret 2016-4

Snowy Egret 2016-5

Snowy Egrets are arriving from Central America.

Fox Den 1

Entrance to the den.

Fox 43 Fox 41 Fox 40 Fox 39 Fox 38

Fox 42

My friend Diana spotted this Fox and her two kits. She appears to have caught a Muskrat.

Swamp Sparrow at Governor Bridge Natural Area.

A few warblers are being reported in the area, so I decided to give Governor Bridge at try. I’ve done well there in past years, but today wasn’t my day.

A large group of birders was in the park, which may or may not have affected the birds. I tried for two hours with limited success, then headed to Quiet Waters. I spent an hour at Quiet Waters without getting  a single usable image.

Better luck tomorrow.

Eastern Towhee 2016-2

This Eastern Towhee was the first bird I spotted this morning.

Wood Duck 2016-20

Wood Duck 2016-19

This pair of Wood Ducks flew overhead as I was searching for warblers.

Osprey 2016-13

I haven’t seen many Ospreys at Governor Bridge.

Cardinal 2016-5

I heard this female Cardinal long before I saw her. She’s one of the few female song birds I’ve heard singing.

Swamp Sparrow 20126-2

This Swamp Sparrow is in breeding plumage.