I made the usual rounds this week, including a trip to Bombay Hook. It’s still slow, but a few of the regulars posed well enough, and I spent some time with the Tree Swallows at CBEC to try for flight shots.
Bombay Hook was good enough, even though there were no really exciting finds. I managed to turn 75 this week, which is an accomplishment all in itself.
I’ve heard Great Crested Flycatchers at CBEC frequently, but they are hard to find.
Ospreys do well at CBEC.
This Brown Thrasher was foraging at CBEC.
A colorful Carolina Wren.
These Barn Swallows were doing nest repair at Schoolhouse Pond.
There are many Canada Goose goslings in the marsh.
A single Great Egret was feeding at Schoolhouse Pond.
A few Mallards are nesting at CBEC.
Tree Swallow. I’ve learned a little about catching these tiny acrobats in flight.
I chased a Red Headed Woodpecker in Crofton yesterday. These birds don’t usually nest in AA county, so it was a nice find.
I was going to Sandy Point this morning, but I elected to sleep in and try CBEC instead. The next 4-6 weeks will be slow, so I may spend more time looking for bugs.
I skipped the back path at CBECÂ because the insects are so ferocious. I did well enough, finding more birds than usual. I also made a short stop at Greenbury Point where I found a couple of birds.
I found this Chipping Sparrow at CBEC.
Not a great shot, but I don’t get Yellow Breasted Chats in flight often.
I saw this single Cedar Waxwing at CBEC. I don’t recall seeing one there before.
This pair of Mallards seemed to be chilling out.
There’s always a pair of Ospreys nesting at CBEC .
It’s possible this is the first Blue Grosbeak I’ve found at CBEC.
This is the Red Headed Woodpecker from Crofton.
My very first Wild Turkey poult.
This White Tail Deer easily evaded two dogs chasing her in the tall grass.
It’s been another slow week. I don’t have enough data to prove a trend, but it certainly seems as though it’s harder to find birds than in previous years. Some very regular birds like Flycatchers, Buntings and Grosbeaks just aren’t as common in previous years, and others seems to be present in smaller numbers.
I got to most of my regular places this week, and I managed a few pictures. The Ruddy Duck was a nice find, and who doesn’t like Swallows? A hard drive crash slowed me down, but I had a good backup and didn’t lose anything.
Great Blue Herons are very common, but not as numerous as in previous years.
This Ruddy Duck should be far West of here. He may be injured, but I haven’t seen any signs of it.
Barn Swallows are nesting at this time of year.
I found 5 adult Canada Geese and 21 goslings at Schooler’s Pond.
There seem to be fewer Wood Duck families at Lake Artemesia.
I post regularly on MD Birding Facebook, and I think I may be the only person who posts Yellow Breasted Chats. They are regulars at Greenbury Point.
A very attractive Mourning Dove.
Black Crowned Night Heron. I don’t see this bird often, but they fly over Greenbury Point frequently.
Northern Rough Winged Swallows are easy to find this year. These are from Schooler’s Pond and Lake Artemesia.
I had planned to go to Sandy Point this morning, but then I heard there were Black Skimmers at Bombay Hook, so I changed plans.
The weather was perfect, clear skies, in the 70s. I was surprised there were so few people. Many, many herons and egrets were feeding in Raymond pool. I found very little in Shearness pool.
I found two life birds and got a couple of decent images, so I’ll call it a good day.
The Diamondback Terrapin is Maryland’s state reptile.
A small flock of Glossy Ibis flew overhead.
This Great Egret seemed to be gathering sticks. I don;t know what the reddish tail feathers mean.
There are so many Red Winged Blackbirds you almost don’t see them. Their loud, frequent calls can be very noticeable.
I’ve heard some good reports from Blackwater, so I made the trip this morning. I didn’t see any rarities, but the mammals came to my rescue and made a decent showing.
I made three or four loops of Wildlife Drive, including stops at the Visitor Center and The Tubman Center for Hummingbirds and Sparrows. I also checked out the Key Wallace bridge, but there wasn’t much there as yet.
Blackwater Dawn.
This Rabbit ignored my presence.
The feeder at the Visitor attracted many Ruby Throated Hummingbirds.
THis Osprey has found a nice fish.
Red Headed Woodpeckers will be audible all Summer.
This Red Winged Blackbird was looking for bugs at the Visitor Center.
I saw about 15 Bald Eagles this morning.
A single American White Pelican paddled slowly by on Wildlife Drive.
I see Delmarva Fox Squirrels often, but they don’t usually pose so well.
Some days it seems as though the Spring Migration is passing me by again. I’ve spent lot of time seeking, and not enough time finding. My guess is everything is two weeks behind normal.
I spent the morning at Bombay Hook and got a few decent images. I also stopped at Truxtun Park to get a look at the Blue Angels annual show. I haven’t finished processing everything yet, so I’ll probably add some pics later.
These Egrets remained quite close together for a while.
This Yellow Warbler was very active.
I heard several Blue Grosbeaks today, but found only one.
Hundreds of Short Billed Dowitchers were feeding in the shallows.
Dunlins and Dowitchers were foraging in mixed flocks.
Tree Swallows were constantly on the move.
Hundreds of Least Sandpipers were visible from the road.
This is a juvenile Bald Eagle.
It’s easy to hear Marsh Wrens, but harder to get a decent pic.
These Fox kits are living in a den adjacent to the main road, and are probably used to people getting quite close.
It’s unusual for me to go this long without a post, but it’s been slow birding for a while. It’s been a wet, cold Spring so far, and that may be affecting migration. I’m finding very few interesting migrants.
I’ve been to Sandy Point, Greenbury Point and Quiet Waters, and they’ve all been quiet. I decided to change my luck with a trip to Bombay Hook, and it paid off. I’ve had better days there, but it was an above average day.
I found only two Black Necked Stilts.
This is a young Red Winged Blackbird.
Blue Grosbeaks are often found along the edge of the marsh.
There were many hundreds of Least Sandpipers.
I saw more Bald Eagles than usual.
This very dark Bald Eagle is likely this year’s young.
Four Mute Swans were calmly feeding in Raymond Pool.
This Great Egret may be in Breeding plumage.
Hundreds of Short Billed Dowitchers were feeding in the marsh.
I don’t get close to Crows very often.
I saw this Cardinal at Greenbury Point.
It’s Easy to find Yellow Breasted Chats at Greenbury Point.
This Spotted Sandpiper was at Lake Artemesia.
Canada Geese have hatched their young already.
This Ring Billed Gull was at Sandy Point.
Some fellow birders pointed out this Yellow Warbler.
I wasn’t sure where to go when I went to bed, but Bombay beckoned this morning, and off I went.
The weather was seriously foggy when I left the house but largely cleared by the time I arrived. Some fog and clouds returned later, which was disappointing.
The early morning low tide attracted many shorebirds, but the population quickly diminished as the water rose. Eagles were well represented. There were a lot of photographers for a weekday morning.
I also found some Terns and the Grosbeaks. A good day.
I found a single Gray Catbird.
Several Forster’s Terns were fishing in Raymond Pool.
Many Bald Eagles were fishing this morning.
This Great Egret Landed right in front of me.
Greater Yellowlegs are becoming more common.
You have to look closely to ID the Short Billed Dowitcher.
A Dunlin on the left, a least Sandpiper(?) on the right.
Several Forster’s Terns were fishing in Raymond Pool.
A single Laughing Gull flew over the area.
Many Snowy Egrets were present, but there will be many more as the season progresses.
It’s been a tough few days. We’re right at the start of Spring migration, people are finding warblers, and I’m getting nowhere. Spring birding is about warblers, and they don’t seem to like me.
I’ve been out every day it’s not raining, and I know where to go, but nothing’s working.
I did Terrapin and CBEC this morning, and I’ve been to Artemesia, Wooton, Sands Road, Quiet Waters and Truxtun Park without seeing a single warbler or interesting migrant. Grrr.
This red Winged Blackbird serenaded me at Terrapin.
I was lucky to get even this poor photo of a Barn Swallow at Artemesia.
White Throated Sparrows are among the last to leave.
There were only three birds fishing at Terrapin, including these Egrets.
It was sunny and calm, as predicted, but it wasn’t a prolific kind of day. I remember thinking a few years ago that migration seemed to be moving slowly.
Eagles were everywhere, but wading birds and warblers were seriously sparse.
The White Crowned Sparrows were a welcome sight, perhaps a harbinger of better things to come.
I found this White Eyed Vireo yesterday at Terrapin.
Several Ospreys nest at Blackwater.
This Eagle pair seemed to be enjoy an aerial duel.
A single Eastern Kingbird greeted me this morning.
Red Winged Blackbirds were in full song.
This Green Heron was at Terrapin yesterday.
A small flock of White Crowned Sparrows was passing through.