New Banded Oystercatcher--April 2

At the edge of Taylors Creek on ther sand spit entering the mud flats, there was a new banded oystercatcher new to me.

Feb. 26, 2011 the shorebirds are returning

After a windy and cold respite, the shorebirds are returning to the mudflats. Mostly Dunlin, semipilated plovers, and a few skiddish black-bellied plovers.

February 6, 2011

February 6, 2011

High tide falling with light southerly wind—a pretty day after several wet and cold days. A pied billed grebe was in Taylors Creek and a kingfisher watched from the estuary sign post. There were few birds in the inner marsh but there were more Willets than usual, one flock of White Ibis, a few Yellowlegs, and scattered but diminished Dunlin. One Oystercatcher flew by and I heard others. Another Kingfisher sat atop the post in the inner marsh and a solitary egret was fishing among oystershells. I suspect that other sites held larger numbers of birds in the shallows but I explored only the central marsh. No ducks or cormourants and only a couple gulls.

January 21, 2011

Very windy-very high tide--temp in the 40s. There was a green winged teal in Taylors Creek and a cormourant at the entrance to bird shoal. Shorebirds were diminished from the high tide and wind--ibis were hunkered down on the bank. Saw a few gulls, a group of Red breasted mergansers, yellowlegs on a bar,one great blue heron, two snowy egrets and two kingfishers seemingly fishing together--they usually are alone.

Jan15.2011 Banded Oystercatcher

Finishing my paddle, this bird was on the east side of the entrance to Middle Marsh.

Jan15--Mid day

Jan15,2011 at high tide, mid day, mid 40s temp and light wind after an extremely cold week. A red fox (apparently blind in one eye) explored the south edge of Taylors Creek. This is the second fox sighting in two months but had only seen one in RC before. Besides the few gulls and a solitary Blue Heron, most birds were Dunlin. Three unbanded oystercatchers in Middle Marsh and one banded at its mouth, two Ruddy Turnstone, and two bigger birds ?Willets were resting on the bar. Limited varieties and numbers today.

Banded Oystercatcher Dec 24, 2010

This pair of Oystercatchers was resting at high tide--I guess waiting for the oysters to be uncovered by dropping tide. Yellowlegs keep them company. Later a group of Oystercatcher let me get close by kayak inside Middle Marsh.