Wood Ducks at Lake Artemesia.

It’s been a long dry spell around here. I suspect migration is a little slow, but one big kink in my favorite spots is the high water. Many wading birds look for shallow water and mudflats, and that’s hard to find around here right now. I can’t put any real blame on climate change, but you gotta’ wonder.

I’ve mostly been to CBEC and Terrapin, with a few trips to Wooton, Governor Bridge and Sandy Point. None are living up to historical norms, but there’s probably some bad luck  also.

Anyway, here’s a few images from the last two weeks. Maybe we’ll have better luck soon.

This is a link to my Ebird checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S60147634

CBEC 46 CBEC 47

CBEC 45

CBEC in the morning.

Yellow Billed Cuckoo 2019-3

A pair of late season Yellow Billed Cuckoos were foraging at Lake Artemesia.

Pied Billed Grebe 2019-101

Pied Billed Grebe 2019-102

My first Pied Billed Grebe of the season.

Catbird 2019-100

Catbird 2019-101

Catbirds have been numerous lately.

Domestic Goose 2019-4

This Domestic Goose is still hanging around Lake Artemesia.

Caspian Tern 2019-07

Caspian Terns have returned to Sandy Point.

Great Egret 2019-256 Great Egret 2019-255 Great Egret 2019-254 Great Egret 2019-253

Great Egret 2019-257

An early morning Egret at CBEC.

Common Yellowthroat 2019-6

This Common Yellowthroat was migrating through Terrapin.

Solitary Sandpiper 2019-1

Solitary Sandpiper 2019-2

A Solitary Sandpiper was looking for a meal at Wooton’s Landing.

Brown Thrasher 2019-35

This has been a good year for Brown Thrashers.

Black and White Warbler 2019-1

A Black and White Warbler from Artemesia.

Chimney Swift 2019-1

Chimney Swift 2019-2

This is a Chimney Swift. I rarely try to photograph these erratic, fast avian missiles.

Arctic Tern 2019-15

Arctic Tern from my trip to Seal Island.

American Redstart 2019-2

American Redstart from Terrapin.

Wood Duck 2019-32 Wood Duck 2019-31 Wood Duck 2019-30 Wood Duck 2019-29 Wood Duck 2019-28 Wood Duck 2019-27 Wood Duck 2019-26 Wood Duck 2019-25

Wood Duck 2019-33

Several Wood Ducks were cruising the shoreline at Artemesia.

Eastern Box Turtle 15

Eastern Box Turtle 14

I’ve seen a lot of Eastern Box Turtles lately.

Tricolored Heron at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.

We’ve had another slow week. I can’t fault the weather, but I’d like to see more migrants.  How many times have I written that?

I’m sticking with my routine for now. Check out Sandy Point for morning colors, Look in on Kent Narrows. then head for CBEC, which is open 24/7, so I can show up when it’s convenient for me.

I’ve been told that CBEC is a good warbler spot, but I haven’t seen the proof yet. Still, there’s enough action to keep me  interested, and migration is advancing every day. I stopped at Greenbury Point this morning for a change of pace, but I found nada there.

CBEC 28

CBEC Dawn.

Chipping Sparrow 2019-7

I found this Chipping Sparrow at Greenbury Point.

Great Blue Heron 2019-33

Great Blue Heron 2019-35

I’m seeing a few more Great Blue Herons recently.

Forster's Tern 2019-44

I’ve seen as many as 15 Forster’s Terns at CBEC.

Black Crowned Night Heron 2019-20 Black Crowned Night Heron 2019-19 Black Crowned Night Heron 2019-17 Black Crowned Night Heron 2019-15

Black Crowned Night Heron 2019-21

Several juvenile Black Crowned Night Herons are finding good pickings at Kent Narrows.

Snowy Egret 2019-114

A few Snowy Egrets are still hanging out.

Great Egret 2019-150

A few Great Egrets are foraging in Lake Knapp.

Great Egret 2019-149

 

Wild Turkey 2019-70

Wild Turkey 2019-71

Most of the Wild Turkey poults have gotten quite large.

Canada Goose 2019-26

There are usually 75 or more Canada Geese on the lake in the morning.

Tricolored Heron 2019-37 Tricolored Heron 2019-34

Tricolored Heron 2019-36

3 juvenile Tricolored Herons have been hanging out at CBEC for month or more.

 

Spider 287

This Orbweaver set his trap in the blind, and I was able to get a fairly sharp closeup of the action.

Spider 288

American Avocet at Bombay Hook NWR.`

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, and that’s a reflection of the slow birding climate around here. Even trips to Blackwater and Bombay Hook weren’t sufficiently productive for a post.

So:this will be a compilation of the last week’s occasional decent photo. I entered a contest where you need to submit 20 Ebird reports from the same place during August, so I spent a lot of time at CBEC.

CBEC 28 CBEC 29

CBEC 27

CBEC Dawn.

Caspian Tern 2019-03

Caspian Tern 2019-06

Several Caspian Terns are hanging out at Sandy Point.

 

Red Headed Woodpecker 2019-29

Red Headed Woodpecker 2019-31

The Red Headed Woodpeckers were very active today.

Tricolored Heron 2019-28

I’m seeing more Great Blue Herons now.

Great Egret 2019-146

Great Egret 2019-147

Great Egrets are present in good numbers.

Eastern Kingbird 2019-13

Small flocks of Eastern Kingbirds are gathering to migrate.

 

Brown Thrasher 2019-32

Brown Thrashers seem to be very territorial.

Least Sandpiper 2019-7

Least Sandpipers appear as soon as the mudflats are exposed.

Tricolored Heron 2019-30 Tricolored Heron 2019-24

Tricolored Heron 2019-31

Several juvenile Tricolored Herons are hanging out at CBEC.

American Avocet 2019-107 American Avocet 2019-105 American Avocet 2019-104

American Avocet 2019-108

There were about 1000 American Avocets at Bombay Hook.