American Avocet at Bombay Hook NWR.`

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Hugh

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 Dawn.

Several Caspian Terns are hanging out at Sandy Point.

The Red Headed Woodpeckers were very active today.

I’m seeing more Great Blue Herons now.

Great Egrets are present in good numbers.

Small flocks of Eastern Kingbirds are gathering to migrate.

Brown Thrashers seem to be very territorial.

Least Sandpipers appear as soon as the mudflats are exposed.

Several juvenile Tricolored Herons are hanging out at CBEC.

There were about 1000 American Avocets at Bombay Hook.

White Tailed Deer at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Hugh

The hot, humid weather seems to be cooling. It was coolish and a little windy this morning, and I cut it short for fear of rain.

Egrets are still plentiful, Eagles are more visible, and a few Sandpipers are starting to show.

I suspect we’ll see many more species as migration picks up in the next week or so.

Ebird checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59193190

CBEC Dawn.

The Tricolored Herons are attracting many birders.

There is a large contingent of Great Egrets.

% or more Forster’s Terns are present each morning.

I found this Black Crowned Night Heron at Kent Narrows.

This Song Sparrow found several large worms in the mud.

There are not as many Great Blue Herons as usual.

It’s easy to hear the Red Headed Woodpeckers at CBEC, and hard to get a good photo.

I assume these Whitetail Fawns are related.

Wood Ducks at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.

Posted on August 21, 2019 by Hugh

We’ve had a couple days of hot, humid, nobird kind of weather, but it cooled off a bit today and some migrants dropped by, including Blue Winged Teal and Spotted Sandpiper.

The Egret population is impressive, Eagles were very active, Herons and Least Sandpipers were easy to find. There were many other birds as well, and here’s a link to the Ebird checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59148351

CBEC Dawn.

Great Egrets in the light of a low Sun.

Someday I’ll get a good Osprey silhouette.

At least one (Rare) Tricolored Heron is still hanging out at CBEC.

Wild Turkeys seem to enjoy foraging in trees.

If you spend any time in the woods at CBEC, you may meet some Wild Turkeys.

I expect the number of Great Blue Herons to improve.

This Wood Duck flew over my head, and I didn’t know the species until I got it on the computer.

Tricolored Heron at Chesapeake Bay Environmental.

Posted on August 16, 2019 by Hugh

Once again, Sandy Point and Kent Narrows were disappointing. No color at all, all the way to the horizon.

The entrance road to CBEC was almost completely flooded, but it wasn’t very deep, so I got in OK.

Many (60) Egrets and Herons were foraging all over the lake, and the Tricolored Herons were easy to find. These are fairly small birds, and they blend with the shoreline.

Terns, Eagles and Ospreys were also active and made for a good morning.

Ebird checklist https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59025045

CBEC Dawn.

Many Egrets were feeding near shore.

Forster’s Terns were fishing in the East end of Lake Knapp.

I’m not seeing as many Great Blue Herons as usual.

This Great Crested Flycatcher will be heading South soon.

It appears that about 25-30 Canada Geese spend the night at CBEC, then go foraging in the early morning.

The BCEC admin tells me there’s as many as 100 Wild Turkeys on the grounds.

I finally got a good luck at the Tricolored Herons. These are juvenile birds.

This young fawn seems to hang out in this area, as I’ve seen him there several times.

Tricolored Herons at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.

Posted on August 15, 2019 by Hugh

Ebird has a deal going where you make 20 visits to the same place in a month and you win some kind of prize, so I’m going for it. August can be a slow month, so at least this gives me a plan for the next week or so. CBEC has been steadily improving, so it may work out well.

There were many Egrets today, but the stars were the two Tricolored Herons, who finally gave me a chance to get a decent shot. I expect we’ll be seeing a few warblers before the month is out.

I stopped at Kent Narrows, also, but the place was overrun with fishermen.

Ebird checklist https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59004620

CBEC Dawn.

The Forster’s Terns were fishing well within camera range today.

Many Great Egrets were fishing in Lake Knapp this morning.

Only a few Great Blue Herons were present.

Snowy Egrets were well represented.

In the last several years I’ve noticed that Eastern Kingbirds seem to form small groups before migrating.

I finally got a good look at this Tricolored Heron.

Black Crowned Night Heron at Kent Narrows.

Posted on August 14, 2019 by Hugh

I drove right past Sandy Point this morning, as there was no visible light on the horizon.

Kent Narrows was the same, but there were a couple of birds fishing who allowed me to get some portraits.

From there I went to CBEC. There was no interesting sunrise color there, either. but 3 Tricolored Herons flew in while I was there. Many Geese and many Egrets were a nice sight.

I ran into three separate Turkey families, and learned a little more about their behavior.

If I were a better photographer, I would have seen the possibilities of the background colors.

So, Turkeys forage in trees and they like to take dust baths! This is an interesting hobby.

I saw two Chickadees this morning.

These Canada Geese seem to be having a restful morning.

Three Tricolored Herons flew in at dawn, and there wasn’t enough light to get a good shot.

This Great Blue Heron was fishing at Kent Narrows also.

I’ve seen this Black Crowned Night Heron at Kent Narrows several times.

Yellow Warbler at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.

Posted on August 11, 2019 by Hugh

It’s still August, and the birding doldrums continue as usual. Migration is happening at least a little, because some birds, like Chats, have disappeared, and a few new ones are starting to appear, like Sandpipers.

I’ve been sticking to a routine: Check out Sandy Point for sunrise pics, possible migrating birds, Kent Narrows for a backup, then CBEC for a finale. Sometimes I check out Greenbury Point, as well.

Turkeys have been a frequent treat-I have more Turkey images this year than in all other years combined. Kingbirds, Terns, Ospreys and others are active at the moment, and I can feel a few warblers in the near future.

CBEC Dawn, looking across Lake Knapp.

Early morning Ospreys.

Canada Geese at dawn.

These Eastern Kingbirds are moving through the area.

Many Eastern Kingbirds are on the move.

As soon as the mudflats appear, you can count on sandpipers like these Least Sandpipers.

Least Sandpipers do this wing flap thing often as they are feeding.

A Blue Jay feather.

I know they roost in trees, but I was surprised to see this.

My first flight shot of a Robin.,

Great Crested Flycatchers seem to be on the move.

This Snowy Egret is looking for a meal.

There are many Brown Headed Nuthatches at CBEC, but getting close enough for a pic can be damnading.

A juvenile Red Headed Woodpecker in poor light.

These young Ospreys seem to be doing well.

BCEC is a real Mockingbird haven.

These Wood Peewees are passing through.

This Ruby Throated Hummingbird is fueling up for migration.

I see several Green Herons every day.

Brown Thrashers are thriving.

This is a juvenile Eastern Towhee.

This Yellow Warbler was a surprise.

I found several Eastern Box Turtles this week.

White Ibis at Bombay Hook NWR.

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Hugh

I left home around 4:30 to get to Bombay Hook near sunrise. There was a light fog most of the way, which makes for a delightful drive. For even more fun, the main road to the refuge has no lane markings, and the road blends right into the fog. I’ve actually written the Delaware Highway Department about this, but never got an answer.

Birds to the left of me… There were many hundreds of birds in Raymond Pool, including all the usual suspects and a White Ibis and a Tricolored Heron. Many Terns were fishing.

I made the loop three or four times, and chatted with a few fellow photographers. There was good light and good action all morning.

I always spend too much time trying to get a good Tern shot.

These are juvenile drake Wood Ducks.

This Seagull has found a nice fish,.

Many GLossy Ibises were feeding alongside the other wading birds.

Several Laughing Gulls were fishing with the Terns

Hundreds of Great Egrets were visible.

American Avocets were very active.

Two Mute Swans were slowly paddling about.

Many Great Blue Herons were foraging in the area.

A single Blue Grosbeak was singing by the roadside.

American Avocets were feeding quickly.

This was White Ibis was close enough, but the light was difficult.

Forster’s Terns at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Hugh

I’ve got more Turkey images this year than all previous years combined. I spoke to the CBEC Admin today, and she says there’s another flock, with smaller chicks that I haven’t seen yet. Entertaining birds.

The Osprey chicks are fledging, and I may have seen a first flight yesterday. I’ll check tomorrow to see if they’re both flying. Brown Thrashers and Great Crested Flycatchers were also very active today. The Red Headed Woodpeckers were having an aerial in the pines, which was fun to watch.

I’ve gotten three cool birds there in the last week, so maybe my luck will continue.

Dawn, looking across the lake.

This Osprey flew just about the right path to get a shot.

I encountered this flock of Wild Turkeys twice as I circled the lake.

This Mockingbird has found a good breakfast.

I’ve never encountered this many Brown Thrashers (About 6-8) in close proximity before.

This Great Crested Flycatchers popped up a couple of times.

It appeared to me that the bird on the left had his first flight today.

Several Forster’s Terns were feeding in the lake. It’s a spectacular sight if you get the right vantage point.

I encountered this young buck at close range.He had his back to me, but took off like a rocket when he saw me.

Tricolored Heron at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Hugh

The love affair with CBEC continues. The Tricolored Heron flew in as I was walking nearby, otherwise I might have missed it. Terrible light for a photo, but a rare bird.

Otherwise, it was a usual kind of day with Ospreys learning to fly, Egrets fishing in the lake and Red Headed Woodpeckers loudly calling.

I made a brief stop at Greenbury Point on the way back. I did hear a Yellow Billed Cuckoo, but there wasn’t much else interesting.