Snowy Egrets at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.

The water level has returned to normal at Lake Knapp, and the waterfowl bonanza has diminished greatly. There were still plenty of Egrets, but the Herons and Sandpipers are about gone.

CBEC has plenty of other birds, of course, but they also have a vast richness in biting insects at times.

I made  stops at Jonas Green Park, Terrapin, Wooton and Quiet Waters as well.  Warblers soon come.

My Fund Raiser to replace my dead camera continues. Thank you.

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CBEC 8

CBEC Dawn.

Least Sandpiper 2021-19 Least Sandpiper 2021-17

Least Sandpiper 2021-20

These Least Sandpipers are travelling in large flocks.

Greater Yellowlegs 2021-27

Greater Yellowlegs 2021-29

Several Greater Yellowlegs were searching the perimeter of the lake.

Snowy Egret 2021-126 Snowy Egret 2021-122 Snowy Egret 2021-125 Snowy Egret 2021-124

 

Snowy Egret 2021-127

Snowy Egrets outnumbered the other water birds.

Tricolored Heron 2021-172

There were many Tricolored Herons.

Great Egret 2021-130

There were 20 or more Great Egrets every day.

Great Egret 2021-131

Forster's Tern 2021-22

Forster’s Terns seem to visit every day.

American Avocets at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.

I’ve been visiting CBEC daily for a week or so. The low water has attracted hundreds of waterfowl and provided lots of photo opportunities. The water is so low that the resident carp are dying. I’ve never seen the lake water level so low.

The Tricolored Herons are continuing, along with Terns, Sandpipers and Ospreys. It’s been too hot to stay a long time, but it’s working out.

The Avocets have been seen several times, but I was lucky to get any look at all. They flew in, circled a few times and left.

CBEC 382

All the mud you see is usually covered.

Snowy Egret 2021-101

I mean, we had a lot of Egrets

Tricolored Heron 2021-156 Snowy Egret 2021-108 Snowy Egret 2021-106 Snowy Egret 2021-104 Snowy Egret 2021-102

Snowy Egret 2021-96

I’ve see 100 or more Snowy Egrets at CBEC most days this week.

Great Egret 2021-112

This Great Egret has found an eel.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 2021-1

A quick stop at my neighbor’s feeder.

Tricolored Heron 2021-154 Tricolored Heron 2021-141 Tricolored Heron 2021-136

Tricolored Heron 2021-157

We’ve been seeing 20,or more Tricolored Herons each day.

Laughing Gull 2021-3.

Several Laughing Gulls have been visiting.

Tricolored Heron 2021-155

Greater Yellowlegs 2021-23

6-8 Greater Yellowlegs are visiting.

Killdeer 2021-6

There’s often a few Killdeer in the mud flats.

Osprey 2021-55

Several Ospreys are still in the area.

American Avocet 2021-16

American Avocet 2021-18

12 American Avocets flew in for a brief visit.

Roseate Spoonbill at Bombay Hook NWR.

Graeme and I spent the morning at Bombay Hook NWR, and had a very good day! We started with a Peregrine Falcon, and went on to a Least Bittern and a Common Gallinule, two life birds.

I had several overexposures because the light was much better than I’m used to. Must check more often.

The locals told us the Spoonbills hadn’t been appearing, but we got lucky on the second go around, and found them quite close to the road.

Avocets, Stilts and Ibises rounded out the list.

Glossy Ibibs 2021-6

Glossy Ibibs 2021-10

Glossy Ibises are quite striking.

 

Black Necked Stilt 2021-2

Bombay Hook is a reliable place to find Black Necked Stilts.

Commin Gallinule 2021-1

This Common Gallinule is a first for me.

Wood Duck 2021-179

Wood Duck 2021-178

We saw about 35 Wood Ducks. These are first year birds.

Semi Palmated Sandpiper 2021-1

There were thousands of Semi Palmated Sandpipers.

Great Blue Heron 2021-115

Many Great Blue herons were fishing in the marsh.

Forster's Tern 2021-17

A few dozen Forster’s Terns were rapidly fishing.

Laughing Gull 2021-2.

Laughing Gull.

My best look at a Laughing Gull this year.

 

Goldfinch 2021-8

You can often find Goldfinches in the growth by the roadside.

Least Bittern 2021-4

This Least Bittern was quite ar away, and I overexposed the shot. Lesson learned.

Least Bittern 2021-4

This Least Bittern was quite far away, and I overexposed the shot. Lesson learned.

Great Egret 2021-93

Two of many dozens of Great Egrets we saw.

Roseate Spoonbill 2021-3

We were lucky to get a good look at these rare visitor.

Roseate Spoonbill 2021-5 Roseate Spoonbill 2021-4 Roseate Spoonbill 2021-2

Roseate Spoonbill 2021-3

Great Egret at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.

We’ve had decent weather the last week, with little rain and tolerable temps. The water level at CBEC has remained quite low for 2-3 weeks, and the waders are taking advantage. I have never seen so many egrets there.

I had 100 Snowy Egrets today, 25 Great Egret, and 8 Tricoloreds, That’s a good day. I seem to have inadvertently popularized the place, as more photographers keep showing up.

CBEC 380

CBEC 379

Low water has revealed a lot of mud for the waders.

Redhead 2021-30

This Redhead hen should be far from here. She may be inured.

 

Great Egret 2021-91 Great Egret 2021-85 Great Egret 2021-83 Great Egret 2021-78 Great Egret 2021-76 Great Egret 2021-75

Great Egret 2021-92

With so many birds competing for food, there’s the occasional disagreement.

Tricolored Heron 2021-106 Tricolored Heron 2021-99

Tricolored Heron 2021-90 Tricolored Heron 2021-97

Tricolored Heron 2021-105

These Tricolored Herons have decided to roost in a tree right above my head.

Canada Goose 2021-112

About 100 Canada Geese are present each morning.

Snowy Egret 2021-62

Snowy Egret 2021-66

Glossy Ibibs 2021-4

I was startled to see these Glossy Ibis do a quick flyby.