We didn’t  get the promised weather this morning,so I didn’t get out until after 10:00. I made a short trip to Sandy Point, where there were a few ducks close to shore, then headed to Beach Road, which has been a good winter spot in the past.

I did find some good birds at Beach Road, but most were too far away for good images.

This Lesser Scaup posed at Sandy Point.

I’m seeing a lot of Eastern Bluebirds lately.

Two or three Canvasbacks were on the pond at Beach Road.

This Red Tailed Hawk soared over the pond at Beach Road.

This blog is about birds, but I’ll make an exception tonight.

Martin Luther King talked about, “The content of your character” as a way to measure a man, and I believe we’ve seen enough of Mr. Trump’s character to take his measure.

I believe he’s unqualified by temperament, training and experience to be the president, and will fail spectacularly, soon, unless some miraculous change comes over him. Failing that, we’re in deep trouble, and we’ll have to rely on the republican congress to keep him in check, and that’s a really sorry lot to have to depend on.

God help us.

I left early to get to Blackwater around sunrise.  It was a good day to be there. I’ve seen Common Mergansers there before, but never quite so close. Unfortunately, my camera was acting up, so the images aren’t very good.

Eagles and ducks were out in numbers, and a quick stop at Oakley Street paid off as well.

The Tidal Pool at Blackwater.

I used to see more Northern Pintails in the past.

You can usually find a Redhead at Oakley Street.

The American Wigeon is a handsome bird.

Red Winged Blackbirds were very active today.

the American White Pelicans were still hanging out on the mud flats.

Many Tundra Swans were foraging in the marsh.

If you’re careful, you can sometimes get a look at a Roadside American Kestrel.

Many Bald Eagles were out today.

I saw more Northern Shovelers today than usual.

I was very disappointed these Common Merganser images didn’t come out better. It’s a cool bird.

It was seriously foggy this morning, and it didn’t clear up for a couple of hours. I didn t get much at the point, as most of the birds stayed well off shore most of the time.

I stopped at my friend’s house on Thomas Point Road and found a lot of ducks and swans close to shore.

Another juvenile Scaup.

Tundra Swans often gather near shore in small groups.

Hundreds of Canvasbacks were sleeping near shore.

There’s something very attractive about Redheads.

It was a little cloudy this morning, but it cleared up by the time I got to the point. There was decent light, not too much breeze and just enough ducks to keep it interesting.

I stopped at a friend’s house and found some swans and ducks very close to shore, where the residents feed them during the Winter.

Dee Green, looking for ducks.

Tundra Swans get very feisty at times.

These Mallards were at Thomas Point Road.

Several Red Breasted Mergansers flew in as I was watching.

This is a female Black Scoter.

Scaup used to show up in larger numbers.

Surf Scoters were feeding near shore.

Hen Party! Scaup, Surf Scoter, Black Scoter.

A small flock of Common Goldeneyes was foraging nearby.

There more than a hundred Canvasbacks present.

This Redhead was hard to pick out from the large number of Canvasbacks.

The weatherman predicted icky weather today, but it was still clear at 7:30, so I went to Thomas Point to see what was up.  Quite a few ducks were around, and I stayed long enough to get a couple of swans and the closest ducks.

It started raining around 9:30 and I headed home.

Some thoughtful person has installed a couple of benches at the point so us old folks can sit and enjoy the show.

Two Tundra Swans flew around the point.

This Surf Scoter hen took off as I was watching.

Two Red Breasted Mergansers were foraging near the point.

This Common Goldeneye hen flew in close to me.

It was another warm day before the coming storms, and I tried Sandy Point again. The sunrise was good enough, but there weren’t many birds.

Thomas Point had birds, but not the variety of previous days. A quick stop at Southbreeze didn’t result in much, but I’ll keep trying.

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

This Crow was at Southbreeze.

I spooked this Great Blue Heron at Southbreeze.

There were more Surf Scoters than any other bird today.

I started out at Sandy Point this morning, but the sunrise didn’t look like much, so I went to Jonas Greene Park, then Thomas Point. Jonas Greene had nothing at all, but Thomas Point was better, even though it was way too windy.

I also made a stop at Quiet Waters, but had no luck.

Later, after a nap, I went back to Thomas Point, which was still windy, but way warmer, and found a couple of good ducks.

This Common Goldeneye hen took off as I approached.

This is a female Surf Scoter.

I was surprised to find these Lesser Scaup at Thomas Point, as they haven’t been there in a while.

It was a much warmer, less windy day, and I stayed at Thomas Point longer than usual. The birds weren’t quite as cooperative, but it was pleasant just to sit and watch for a while.

I met some nice ladies who directed me to a place just down the road from the point, and I found some nice birds there as well.

I’m not sure why these Tundra Swans were making such a commotion.

My first Horned Grebe of the season.

I found these Hooded Mergansers at Southbreeze Lane.

I spooked this Great Blue Heron.

This Crow was very noisy.

My Song Sparrow friend continues his quest.

I found a single Long Tailed Duck when I first arrived.

There’s still a few Common Goldeneyes around.

Buffleheads continue to be the most common duck.

This flock of Black Scoters flew in as I was watching some other birds.

My site has been down for two days, which is most unusual. Although the fix was easy, Godaddy did a terrible job of getting me to the right person. They’ve been very good in the past, but they blew a lot of good will with this one.

I’ve  been to Sandy Point, Thomas Point and Quiet Waters recently, and found some good birds in good light. The Red Headed Woodpecker is rare for our area, and a nice find. Ducks are gathering at Thomas Point in much better numbers than last year, and Sandy Point is very active as well.

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

Thousands of ducks moving north before sunrise.

Lesser Scaup by dawn’s early light.

The same Song Sparrow who attacks my car regularly.

Tundra Swans foraging near the point.

This Bald Eagle has a small fish.

This is a male Common Goldeneye.

I saw more Red Breasted Mergansers than usual.

Buffleheads always seem slightly comical.

This Yellow Bellied Sapsucker is well camouflaged.

Pileated Woodpeckers are much easier to find.

This Downy Woodpecker made for a four woodpecker day.

It was good to some Hooded Mergansers move in close enough for decent images.

Many Ring Billed Gulls were in the area.

It’s unusual to find a Red Headed Woodpecker in AA county.