Cattle Egret at Terrapin Nature Park

I repeated my Eastern Shore routine again this morning;Sandy Point for sunrise, Terrapin and then CBEC. The weather was perfect again, with low temps and low humidity.

Terrapin was a bit more productive, but the water is still high, so wading birds just aren’t around. CBEC has improved, with a host of Egrets continuing Tricolors, Eagles, Pine Warblers and Brown Headed Nuthatches.

Sandy Point 44

Sandy Point 43

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

Osprey 370

Ospreys seem to do well at CBEC.

Brown Headed Nuthatch 17

CBEC is the best place I know for Brown Headed Nuthatches.

Purple Martin 114

Purple Martin 113

Purple Martins were present in large numbers.

Great Egret 104

Great Egret 103

This Great Egret seemed to be taking a break.

Tri Colored Heron 27

At least two Tri Colored Herons are still at CBEC.

Semipalmated Plover 6

This Semipalmated Plover was feeding at CBEC.

Sandpiper 106

This may be a Least Sandpiper.

Belted Kingfisher 122

I’m seeing Belted Kingfishers more often lately.

Green Heron 132

This Green Heron flew overhead at Terrapin.

Bald Eagle 422

 

Bald Eagle 423

I saw an adult Bald Eagle as well as this juvenile.

Cattle Egret 2

Cattle Egret 1

I haven’t seen a Cattle Egret in many years.

Osprey at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

I started at Sandy Point with some sunrise shots, then moved on to Terrapin and CBEC.

Terrapin was very slow again, for no reason I can figure out.

CBEC is much slower than a week ago, but still has a respectable number of birds.

Sandy Point 41

Sandy Point 42

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

Tri Colored Heron 26

Tri Colored Herons are still hanging out, but in smaller numbers.

Osprey 369

This Osprey wasn’t having much luck.

Cooper’s Hawk at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

More perfect weather. I started at Terrapin, which was once gain very slow. I understand the high water, but I wonder where the song birds are.

I moved on to CBEC after an hour or two, and it was slower than last week, but still productive. The Cooper’s Hawk was the first I’ve seen in a while, and an Indigo Bunting made a surprise appearance. I was lucky to find the Tricolored Heron, who was well hidden for a while.

Indigo Bunting 120

This is the first Indigo Bunting I’ve seen at CBEC.

Snowy Egret 177

Snowy Egret 180 Snowy Egret 179 Snowy Egret 178

 

Snowy Egret 176

This Snowy Egret has found a nice breakfast.

Great Blue Heron 340

There were at least 8 Great Blue Herons fishing in the lake.

Sandpiper 104

I believe this is a Lesser Yellowlegs.

Tri Colored Heron 25

Tri Colored Heron 24

This Tri Colored Heron flew away when I first found him, but I was able to re-locate him.

Cooper's Hawk 100

I saw this Cooper’s Hawk just before he attacked a small bird.

Mockingbird at Governor Bridge Natural Area

I got an early start this morning and arrived at Governor Bridge about 20 minutes before sunrise. I wandered around a bit, and settled into a good looking spot to wait.

Unfortunately it was one of those slow days, and I only got a few shots before my lens fogged up so badly I had to quit.

I may have to leave the lens in the car until the weather cools a bit, to prevent this issue, which is probably caused by the air conditioning.

 

Red Eyed Vireo 307

I haven’t seen a Red Eyed Vireo in a while.

Common Yellowthroat 221

Common Yellowthroats breed at Governor Bridge.

Mockingbird 106 Mockingbird 104 Mockingbird 103

 

Mockingbird 105

This Mockingbird is still feeding this young bird.

White Eyed Vireo at Wooton’s Landing

After yesterday’s long trip I wanted to stay closer to home, so I went to Wooton.

It was perfect weather, and some people are finding early migrants, but my luck wasn’t as good. Activity was minimal, and only a few birds were willing to pose.

A couple of butterflies helped out in the end.

Tufted Titmouse 203

This Tufted Titmouse was feeding right above my head.

Catbird 207

I heard a lot of Catbirds today.

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher 223

Blue Gray Gnatcatchers seem to be very active now.

Eastern Phoebe 108

Perhaps we’ll be seeing more Eastern Phoebes soon.

Green Heron 131

Green Herons don’t usually pose this well for me.

Common Yellowthroat 220

 

White Eyed Vireo 111

Learn the song of the White Eyed Vireo and you’ll hear them often.

Viceroy 4

 

Painted Lady 4

Today’s bugs.

 

Marbled Godwit at Bombay Hook

I’ve cut down on traveling in the last year or so because I’m not as young as I used to be and I don’t like driving in the dark. Old age sucks.

Still, I’ve been hearing about some good birds at Bombay Hook, so I took the nearly two hour trip this morning, and it was well worth it, with at least two lifers and a perfect day, weather-wise. I still haven’t finished processing all the photos, so there may be a surprise or two left.

Fox 25

 

Fox 24

I met a local guy who told this friendly Fox sleeps in the road every morning.

Laughing Gull 106

The Tern has a fish, and the Laughing Gull is trying to get it.

Purple Martin 112

There were 50 or more Purple Martins roosting in this tree.

Forster's Tern 106

This appears to be a Forster’s Tern.

Snowy Egret 174

Snowy Egret 175

Snowy Egrets seem to be doing well everywhere.

Mallard 160

A few Mallards were hanging out.

Great Blue Heron 338 Great Blue Heron 339

Great Blue Heron 337

Great Blue Herons were fishing in every pool.

 

 

 

American Avocet 2

 

American Avocet 1

This American Avocet is another life bird.

Common Tern 145 Common Tern 144

Common Tern 145 Common Tern 144

Common Tern 146

Common Terns are a marvel in flight.

Marbled Godwit 1

I didn’t recognize this bird, but a pro tells me it’s a Marbled Godwit.

 

Black and White Warbler at Governor Bridge Natural Area

I went for a change of pace this morning. A few early warblers have been reported, so I went to Governor Bridge to check it out.

I only found a couple, and a few other interesting birds, so it was a worthwhile trip.

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher 222

Blue Gray Gnatcatchers were very active this morning.

Downy Woodpecker 035

Downy Woodpeckers almost always ignore the camera.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 339 Ruby Throated Hummingbird 337

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 339

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 338

This Ruby Throated Hummingbird was feeding on a bush right next to me.

Brown Thrasher 106

Brown Thrashers have not been plentiful for me this year.

Bluebird 205

I haven’t seen many Eastern Bluebirds this year.

Common Yellowthroat 219

This Common Yellowthroat is a resident breeder.

Black and White Warbler 103

 

Black and White Warbler 104

This Black and White Warbler cold be a resident or a migrant.

Purple Martin at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

I started at Terrapin again this morning, and, once again, it was pretty slow.  The water is very high in the marsh pods, which discourages the water birds.

I moved on to CBEC after an hour or so, and the bird population there has diminished, but still wasn’t bad.

Osprey 367

This is an Osprey I overlooked from last year.

Mallard 159

Mallard 158

Momma Mallard leads her ducklings into the grass.

Great Blue Heron 336

I found this Great Blue Heron at Terrapin.

Sandpiper 102 Sandpiper 101

Sandpiper 103

Many Sandpipers forage in the mud flats at CBEC.

Tri Colored Heron 23

Tri Colored Herons are listed as “Rare” in our area.

Green Heron 130

I saw several Green Herons this morning.

Mourning Dove 102

I usually pass up Mourning Doves, but I liked this pose.

Herring Gull 14

This Herring Gull may have found a dead fish.

Blue Grosbeak 210

The Blue Grosbeak is fairly common, but I don’t often see them at Terrapin.

Osprey 368

Ospreys will only be here another month or so.

Double Crested Cormorant 115

This Double Crested Cormorant flew overhead at Terrapin.

Snowy Egret 172 Snowy Egret 173

Snowy Egret 171

Snowy Egret 170

There were less than half the usual number of Snowy Egrets at CBEC.

Purple Martin 110

Purple Martin 111

It’s tough to get a Purple Martin in flight, and this guy was more cooperative than most.

Killdeer at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

It’s not easy selecting a birding spot at this time of year. The warblers haven’t arrived, nesting is over and it’s kind of a birding doldrums. I decided to try the Eastern shore again, and I started with sunrise at Sandy Point.

I went to Terrapin around 6:15, and it was unusually slow. I spent more time chatting with the ranger than taking pictures. As I was leaving, I met a friend in the parking lot, and we went to CBEC together. I met another friend there, and the three of us spent a couple of hours looking around.

The egrets and herons are still plentiful, and we found a Chipping Sparrow feeding a Cowbird it had raised. Not a great day, but interesting nonetheless.

Sandy Point 40

Sunrise at Sandy Point.

Tri Colored Heron 20

Tri Colored Heron 21

Tri Colored Herons are rare in our area, and they’ve attracted many birders to CBEC.

Cowbird 100

Cornell: The Brown-headed Cowbird is a stocky blackbird with a fascinating approach to raising its young. Females forgo building nests and instead put all their energy into producing eggs, sometimes more than three dozen a summer. These they lay in the nests of other birds, abandoning their young to foster parents, usually at the expense of at least some of the host’s own chicks. Once confined to the open grasslands of middle North America, cowbirds have surged in numbers and range as humans built towns and cleared woods.”

Chipping Sparrow 105

This Chipping Sparrow has his hands full, trying to raise a Cowbird twice his size.

Red Winged Blackbird 119

Red Winged Blackbird 118

I see dozens of Red Winged Blackbirds most days, and often pass them by.

Greater Yellowlegs 103

We saw only a single Greater Yellowlegs.

 

 

 

Tri Colored Heron 21

Tri Colored Herons are rare in our area, and they’ve attracted many birders to CBEC.

Barn Swallow 31

Barn Swallows often forage along the entrance road to CBEC.

Wood Duck 267

This Wood Duck was just sitting still, contemplating the morning.

Great Blue Heron 335

I saw this Great Blue Heron land in a tree at Terrapin.

Snowy Egret 169

Snowy Egret 167 Snowy Egret 166

 

Snowy Egret 168

Snowy Egrets are still the dominant bird at CBEC.

Killdeer 100

Killdeer 101

The Killdeer is very similar to the plovers I’ve been photographing.

 

Laughing Gull at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

Graeme and I left early for Terrapin this morning, intending to recreate our last trip.  Terrapin had good activity, including over 500 pigeons, which is more than I’ve ever seen there before. They were all heading NE and I don’t know why.

We moved on to CBEC after a couple of hours, and it was also very active, with plenty of herons, egrets, gulls, sandpipers, ospreys and a Bald Eagle. It was a good day to be a birdwatcher.

Barn Swallow 30

It’s tough to catch a Barn Swallow in flight.

Chipping Sparrow 104

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Chipping Sparrow.

Common Tern 143

This Common Tern was fishing at CBEC.

Green Heron 129

We saw a couple of Green Herons flying over.

Cardinal 203

This Cardinal serenaded us as we left Terrapin.

 

Snowy Egret 162

Snowy Egrets are still plentiful.

Snowy Egret 160

Snowy Egret 163 Snowy Egret 161

Snowy Egret 165

Snowy Egrets often put on a good show as they land.

Tri Colored Heron 18 Tri Colored Heron 17 Tri Colored Heron 16

 

Tri Colored Heron 19

Three Tri Colored Herons continue their stay at CBEC.

Purple Martin 109

I’m seeing more Purple Martins than in previous years.

Osprey 366

Osprey 365

This Osprey has caught a nice fish.

Purple Martin 108

Another Purple Martin.

 

Laughing Gull 103

 

Laughing Gull 104

This is the first time I’ve seen laughing gulls at CBEC.