Christmas eve, 2010 in Middle Marsh—high tide and cold with approaching winter storm. Most birds were hunkered down and none on the exposed beaches. Yellowlegs on south side of Taylors Creek, snowy egrets and tricolored heron and ibis just inside the marsh, one great heron, a dozen oystercatchers, two flocks of ibis, hundreds of dunlin in the protected marsh, a few ruddy turnstone, one semi—pilated plover, a couple gulls and a large undefined raptor flying overhead. A nice paddle with the sun high at mid day.

Rachel Carson--Bird Shoals

December 17, 2010
Afternoon, falling tide, 40 degrees and light winds. Led by Paula Gillikin and John Fussell, our group left from Rachel Carson/Duke dock and went by foot down the marsh. Many Dunlin, semi-pilated plovers, occasional egret, ibis and great heron. A solitary gannet flew down the southern shore and a Merlin hunted the area. Other species included a few oystercatchers, Red knots, pelicans, scattered gulls, a few Ruddy turnstone, two sharptail sparrows, and a red fox in the distance. Tide was just falling and we left as birds began coming in to the area from spots inland. A loon and cormorants were in Taylors Creek.

March 27, 2010 was a windy day for a kayak outing and with high tide giving entry eastward in the marsh made for a nice ride--downwind. All the birds seen were on the Taylors Creek shore which was the most sheltered. Only one egret in a sheltered tree from the bigger birds and willets predominated the shorebirds. The usual gull gang huddled on shore, Otherwise, one tricolored heron, several Ibis, scattered Oystercatchers, and 3 Yellowlegs. Still, it was good to get out on the water again.

Winter in Rachel Carson Estuary

There was ice in the marsh grass and wind enough to keep most wildlife hunkered down. Ther were small birds on the south side of the banks avoiding the north wind. Dunlin, plovers and one Willet and in the brush a Cardinal.

Bird tracks and wild pony tracks were mixed like artwork in the mud.

January 10

Wintter

Wintter