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.