Red, Red Robin at Quiet Waters

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Hugh

Another beautiful March day! I’ve been wanting to get to Quiet Waters earlier, so I arrived shortly after they opened at 7:00. Interesting birds were scarce, so I also went to Thomas Point and Truxtun Park where I saw a a few hawks, but, all in all, it was a slow day.

I got quite close to this Robin, who seemed to be soaking up the rays.

There are hundreds of Red Winged Blackbirds at Truxtun, including this female. I suspect they account for the large number of hawks I see there.

I saw this Kingfisher flying with his mate several times. I haven’t seen two of these birds together before.

This Cooper’s Hawk hovered in one place for a minute or so. I assume he had spotted some prey.

This Red Breasted Merganser looked weird from a distance, until I realized he was sleeping.

Belted Kingfisher at Truxtun Park

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Hugh

It would be hard to ask for better March werather than we had this morning. The temperature was about 40 and rising, and the sky was nearly cloud-free.
I had decided yesterrday to try Greenbury Point again, and I stopped at Jonas Green Park on the way. I found a nice Song Sparrow, but not much else.
Greenbury Point was similarly unproductive, so I went back to Truxtun Park, where I did much better. This birding stuff is hit and miss at times.

This Bufflehead was feeding at Possum Point.

This Fox was unusually cooperative, especially in daylight.

Dark Eyed Juncos will be heading North soon.

I watched this Belted Kingfisher fishing in the distance for a while, then he moved to a closer tree.

The bridge at Truxtun is a good place to find hawks like this Sharp-Shinned Hawk. The fragmite is full of small birds like Sparrows and Redwing Blackbirds.

This pair of Canada Goose may be nesting soon.

These Mallards were dabbling in the creek.

This is probably a Cooper’s Hawk.

Hooded Mergansers at Quiet Waters and Truxtun Park

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Hugh

It was a cold but sunny morning, so it was disappointing that so few birds were present at Thomas Point and Quiet Waters. I got a a look at the resident Osprey, but he wouldn’t pose, and all the other birds were too distant and too ordinary.
I headed home early and did some work, then, after a nap, headed back to Quiet Waters with a short stop at Quiet Waters. I found a very cooperative Hawk, and saw my first Truxtun Park Hooded Mergansers.

This Downy Woodpecker was the only decent image I got at Thomas Point

The Black Vulture is a graceful flyer.

This pair of Hooded Mergansers seemed very contented paddling about and feeding in a small cove at Quiet Waters.

Cornell:
“Two scaup species live in North America: the Greater Scaup prefers salt water and is found in America and Eurasia, while the Lesser Scaup prefers freshwater and is found only in North America. The Lesser Scaup is one of the most abundant and widespread of the diving ducks in North America”

Cooper's Hawk

This Cooper’s Hawk flew right over my head and landed in a nearby tree.

This Mallard semed to be sunbathing.

Spring Osprey at Quiet Waters

Posted on March 2, 2013 by Hugh

The weather was partly cloudy, as promised, but it quickly deteriorated to cold and cloudy. Between the wind and the cold, it was uncomfortable at Thomas Point, so I left after an hour and went to Quiet Waters where there was a little more shelter. The winds continued, and the temps dropped quickly, but not before I found a few good birds, including my first Osprey of the year.

This Hermit Thrush was quite content to pose for a portrait.

This Osprey seemed early to me, but I see that my firrst sighting last year was also March 2.

I’ve only seen a few Pied Billed Grebes.

There is often a large flock of Ruddy Ducks at Quiet Waters.

Cornell:
“The Common Loon swims underwater to catch fish, propelling itself with its feet. It swallows most of its prey underwater. The loon has sharp, rearward-pointing projections on the roof of its mouth and tongue that help it keep a firm hold on slippery fish.”