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.

Jan. 2, 2011
Low tide, warm, still wind and fog. Less birds than usual with 2 Ibis, a few gulls, no Oystercatchers, but Dunlin and Semi-pilated Plover were upwind in Middle Marsh with a few Ruddy Turnstone, one Yellowlegs and a solitary Long-billed Dowitcher, I spooked a Great Blue Heron on the way back up Taylor’s Creek.

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.