Day 31: January 31st - Pompano Beach

Sunny, breezy once again, temps in the mid 70's

       Once again we are blessed with a gorgeous day in spite of the ominous forecast of showers.  Not a cloud in the sky and what breeze there is is a warm one.  I decide to walk over to the retention ponds at the condo complex we are staying at this week in Pompano Beach.  Friends of ours have swapped for a time share and as they are often so gracious to do, they have asked us to join them.  We noticed a pretty large group of birds hanging around this oasis in the middle of a bustling city yesterday, so I figured I'd go check it out to see if there were any possibilities for avian shots.  In short, there were many White ibises, quite a number of Cattle egrets, many Muscovies (gotta be one of the ugliest birds on the planet), and two Egyptian geese.

Egyptian goose

   
            While the Egyptian is presently not considered a "countable" species under the rules of the American Birding Association, it is increasing across Florida as a wild species and may in fact eventually become ratified.  Until then, we'll just enjoy the view and add it to our list of photographed birds for this year.
        The Cattle egrets and the White ibises, however, are indeed countable and made for some fine subjects to photograph this morning.

Cattle egret

Cattle egret and White ibis lift off together

     The two birds are very tolerant of one another and were busy feeding alongside each other with little concern for anything but their breakfast.  The birds are equipped differently for feeding and hence are feeding on different quarry at different depths.  The egret feeds primarily on bugs at the surface of the ground nestled in the grass.  They are normally found following herds of cattle which stir up the grass and the bugs, making them easier to find and catch for the egrets.  Could it be that the White ibises are serving the same purpose and they move along the water's edge digging into the soft soil in search for their food?

     Regardless, the lighting in the early morning made for some interesting shots with the birds being illuminated while the water behind them was totally underexposed, making the background appear almost black.

     I decided to take advantage of this situation and make some close-up portraits of these two Florida birds.

Day 30: January 30th - Brian Piccolo Park

Sunny, mid 70's, but windy

     We have continued our January journey south towards the Everglades and today are in the Fort Lauderdale area.  Two years ago, we were in this region of the country waiting to take off for Panama.  During our stay, we discovered Brian Piccolo Park in Cooper City.  The major attraction for birders in this park are the Monk parakeets and the Burrowing owls.  

   

  

 Now, Brian Piccolo is not your usual nature reserve.  In fact, it is not really a nature reserve at all, bu rather a recreation area of soccer and softball fields, a bike velodrome, and a skate park.  According to the field guides, "Burrowing Owls are found in open, dry grasslands, agricultural and range lands, and desert habitats often associated with burrowing animals". But, as so often the case, the birds don't always read the field guides.  For some reason, the Burrowing owls find the habitat here equal to or better than the "dry, open, agricultural lands".  Here is a shot of the park as we found it today.  The area within the yellow plastic chain is actually one of the burrows occupied by the owls.

       Because of the constant presence of the people using the park, the birds have little fear of our encroachment, and were only slightly keyed into our presence.  Although they continually scanned back and forth, being ever vigilant, they never showed any real alarm.  And so, the picture of today took a bit of traveling to get to it, but once there was a pretty simple and straight forward process of compose, focus, set the proper exposure and fire away.  Ah, if it were always this easy. (Oh, by the way, we did get the parakeets for the year list as well, but they were nowhere near as accommodating as our little owls.  A shot for another day......)

Burrowing owls of Brian Piccolo Park

Day 29: January 29th - Goodrich's Restaurant

Sunny and mild, mid-60's

       Along the Indian River in the town of Oak Hill, FL lies a restaurant known as Goodrich's Restaurant.  A couple of years ago, the place was sold and it lost a bit of its ambiance.  In other words, they cleaned the place up.  It has always been an institution in this part of Florida, serving the finest in fried fish you'll find anywhere.  While the ownership and the atmosphere changed, the quality did not, and so it is one of our favorite haunts when we are birding that part of the state.  

     We got to know Goodrich's a number of years ago, not as a place to eat, but rather as a place to bird.  White pelicans gather here each winter into March.  It used to be that they were reliable in large numbers and could be found swimming right behind the restaurant.  Now, since the place closed for a year or two during renovations, the numbers have diminished.  But, you can still count on at least some of the whites being there.  And so it was today.  Perched upon a piling adjacent to the deck of the place, a fine White pelican was to be found.  We did not see amy others here today, but I'm sure they were in the area.

White pelican

       We did get a bonus today as we were on a tight schedule and could not tarry for long.  On the wires above Goodrich's, a Loggerhead shrike was hunting grasshoppers in the grass below.  Although the lighting was not good from our first vantage point, the bird was cooperative enough to wait for us to drive below it and get a more proper angle of the sun.

       One last shot before we headed south as a winter plumaged Laughing gull flew overhead.  While I've photographed plenty of Laughing gulls in my day, I decided to get in another shot of the bird in its not-so-glamorous garb.  And now, it's back on the road, heading south once again.

Laughing gull

Day 28: January 28th - Viera Wetlands

Sunny but cooler, temps mid 60's

Great blue heron at sunrise

        When you get an opportunity to work with one of the top nature photographers in the nation, you have to seize the moment.  Actually, I made arrangements to photograph in Viera Wetlands with Kevin Karlson more than three months ago and have been looking forward to this day ever since.  Kevin is the co-author of the best selling field guide The Shorebird Guide, a new book The Birds of Cape May, which "Birds and Blooms" says is one of the six books published recently that people interested in their topic MUST read, and his newest entitled Visions which is due to be released later this spring.

        I have been into photography since the age of 12 (that's some time ago), but I realize that no matter how long I work at it or how much I think I know about the art form, there is still plenty to learn.  Kevin proved that to me today.  The old myth about "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" was busted once again today as this old cur picked up volumes of useful tips and immediately put them into practice.  In the photo above, I utilized several of the techniques suggested by Kevin, and I am well pleased with the results. 

        Kevin covered a number of topics, but his area of concentration was the photography of birds in flight.  It's kind of like golf in that you need to put together a number of different elements and remember to pay heed to each and every one in order to get that really good shot.  Rather than go through the tenants of the photography of birds in flight, I'll simply say that if you ever meet Kevin or have the opportunity to get out in the field with him on one of his workshops, don't think twice.  I already have plans to be with him this summer on Long Island for another session in the field.  It is truly exciting to be able to immerse yourself in your passion and have a true expert in the field with you to advise you on how to tweak those shots and make the camera a true tool at your command rather than having the camera dictate what it wants you to do.  That's the difference between snapshots and photographs.  If you want to perfect your craft, you have to seek out the guidance to bring your game up a notch.  I feel Kevin Karlson did that for me today.

Bald eagle, Viera Wetlands

Plunging Caspian tern

Great blue herons on the nest

Day 27: January 27th - Central Florida Specialties

Rain early, then clearing with mild temps

       We are heading out to the central part of the state this morning....EARLY morning!  We're up at 4:00 AM and join our party at 5:00 to travel the 1 1/2 hours to the Kissimee/St. Cloud area.  This reagion has several different refuges and is know for birds classified as "local" and "uncommon".  Our guides are some of the top folks in Florida, so we have high hopes.  

       We depart under dark and dreary skies, but so far it's dry.  That doesn't last for long, however, as the rain begins to fall.  By the time we reach our first destination,  Joe Overstreet Landing, the rain is soft but steady.  We were hoping for both Bachman's sparrow, and endangered rarity, and the Snail kite, also a species in danger.  Plenty of eagles as well as some new species like the Eurasian collared dove and the Purple gallinule.  Our best shot is that of a very cooperative Bald eagle.  The county we find ourselves birding in today, Osceola, has more nesting pairs of eagles than any other in the state, so the sighting is not that surprising.  What is surprising is that the eagle lands on a piling ans allows people a reasonably close approach.  The photo below was taken with a little SONY Point and shoot, but still turned out to be fairly decent.

     From here, we travelled to Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area.  The rain had abated for the most part, so we hiked down the dirt road towards the campground.  We had a number of Brown-headed nuthatches and Pine warblers in good views.  Even without the scope, they were easy to see and identify.  Suddenly, the call of one of our targets the Bachman's sparrow was heard.  We quietly walked further along the road,  drawing closer to the song.  As we searched for the songster, we found target number 2, the Red-cocladed woodpecker, out in plain view and remarkably stationary.  Too distant for a decent photo (although I'll include the poor quality shot here for documentary purposes), the bird was easily seen through the scope.

      Suddenly, one of our number located the sparrow as he looked for the woodpecker!  For many, this was two "life-birds" back to back.  Sharon and I have not had either of these birds for several years now, so it was indeed a treat to see them both at once.

     One of our final stops was the "Florida Forever" Ecotour preserve.  We had several new warblers, a fine Great-crested flycatcher, two Crested caracaras, our first Green heron of the year and both the White-eyed and Blue-headed vireo. 

     We finish out the day with one more specialty...the Snail kite at Bishman Park in Kissimee.  Once again, the views is fine through the scope, but too far to capture on film.

     A long but productive day and one well worth the time and effort.  By day's end, we had added     new year-birds and were happy campers.

Day 26: January 26th - Port Canaveral, Banana River

Mostly sunny, 78 degrees, breezy

     We're out on the water today...the Banana River, to be exact.  Or, to be more precise, it's the Banana Lagoon since it flows neither north nor south.  We are departing on a pontoon boat out of Harbortown Marina in Merritt Island, FL.  

Harbortown Marina

         The winds have picked up as a cold front is moving into the area, so the water has become a bit choppy and will prevent us from getting in close to the shore or the jetties.  Still, we hope for the possibility that the east wind that has picked up will blow a couple of pelagics like Gannets or Shearwaters into the inlet.  We are also hoping to get our first White pelicans of the year.  Well, one of the three targets showed up anyway.  A group of 47 White pelicans has massed on a sandbar just outside the lock which will take us from the lagoon to the inlet heading out to sea.   One or two have separated from the group and are close enough to give me a decent shot.

White pelican with DC Cormorants

The pelicans are in close to proximity to their Brown cousins and the comparison of the size of one with the other is striking.  The Whites are the largest birds in North America, having a wingspan of from 9 to 10 feet!  They can weigh as much as 16 pounds and are therefore not good at plunge diving to get their food as the Brown pelicans are.  These guys cruise along the surface and "seine" their food from the water.  

      The other main players on, in, and above the water today are the Ospreys.  The opening and closing of the locks stirs up the water and gets the bait fish close to the surface, a perfect scenario for "going out to dinner" if you are an osprey.  Several ospreys sat on the dikes rather the perching on the pilings or on the surrounding towers.  They would fly up, hovers, and look for potential food before descending back to terra firma and resting before taking to the air once again.

Hovering ospreys

     Tomorrow, we will head to the center of the state in the hopes of finding such Florida specialties as Snail kites, Bachman sparrows, Red-cockaded woodpeckers, and Crested caracara.  The forecast is for some pretty heavy rain, but we will wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

    

Day 25: January 25th - Merritt Island NWR

A beautiful sunny warm day..... (76 degrees)

     It's another in a string of gorgeous warm sunny days here in Florida.  Today is the first day of the Space Coast Birding Festival and we are planning on attending the Keynote speech by Richard Crossley, co-author of The Shorbird Guide and the Crossley ID Guide to Eastern Birds.  One of Florida's best known and loved birding havens is Merritt Island NWR, site of the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral.  We introduced the area to our friends John and Rosie, and they are eager to join us.  

      I need to add a Great Horned Owl to the "year-list" and we have reports that the bird is nesting in precisely the same abandoned (or perhaps usurped) osprey nest where she nested last year down at the refuge.  It's always a real pleasure to travel to a reported sighting and find the bird as promised.  Today, such is the case.

Great horned owl

        After adding the owl to our list, we make tracks to our next "promised" bird,  the Painted bunting.  Without question, the Painted bunting is one of the most beautiful birds of North America.  So many times, you scratch your head asking the question, "What were they thinking?" when looking at a bird and matching it to its name.  It the Purple finch really purple?  Is the Red-bellied woodpecker really red-bellied?   Well, here is a bird which lives up to its mane to the nth degree.  It's as if an artist picked out the most striking colors imaginable and got to work.  The colors don't even blend into one another, they are simply a collection of the most striking rich colors, each occupying their own space and making for one spectacular bird.  Once again, as promised, the bird is on site and ready to be photographed.

Painted bunting

      We're on a tight schedule now as we really want to make the 4mile trip around Black Point Drive, the wildlife drive for which Merritt Island is best known.  For the past several years, this area has been stricken with drought and birds were in much fewer numbers than normal.  The area could still use some rain, but the water levels are considerably higher than the last time we were here and the birds are showing their appreciation by showing up in nice numbers.   New year-birds added to the list include the American avocet, Roseate spoonbill, American wigeon, and the bird shown below, the Horned grebe.  There are too many American coots to hazard a guess as to the total numbers....10,000 or more (well, I said I wouldn't guess and then did it anyway).  This truly is a birder's paradise and we've only begun.  Tomorrow, we will be out on the Indian River by boat to see what we can find.  See you then.

Horned grebe

     

Day 24: January 24th - Indian River Lagoon Preserve

Sunny and warm

      On each Tuesday while we are here in New Smyrna Beach, I help a Florida birding buddy Don conduct a bird walk through a local park, Indian River Lagoon Preserve.  The park is run under the auspices of the Marine Discovery Center.  Don has been running this program for several years now and has a loyal following of half a dozen or so "snow-birders" as well as many folks who join us for a week or two while vacationing here in the sunshine state. 

Indian River Lagoon Preserve

      John Bart is with me this morning as I make my first showing of the season.  It's great to see many of the "old gang" once again and to get back out onto the trail with them as we try to garner Don's mandatory "25 before anyone is allowed to leave".  It should be a perfect morning for birding as the skies are calm and the temps are warm.  But in this game, you quickly learn that you never say "never" and you never can confidently predict that the place will be "dripping" with birds.  In spite of what we would consider ideal conditions, it is quiet.....dead quiet.  The preserve is comprised of a short trail through woodlands and then a second short trail out to the lagoon's edge.  It is usually no major feat to have sightings of 30+ birds in the first 1 1/2 hours of so.  Today, we really have to work for the birds and we eventually end up the day with 29 after 2 1/2 hours of 10 birders searching the trees, the grasses, the water's edge, the surface of the lagoon near and far and the skies overhead.

Common loon

     Our best sighting was probably the common loon which although remaining somewhat distant, still afforded us lengthy looks through the scopes.  The ever-present Yellow-rumped warblers provided us with constant action, but it still only counts as 1 species.

Yellow-rumped warblers

  Mourning doves are the second most abundant and the Carolina wrens provided the sound track while remaining reclusive regarding visual contact.  We'll be at it for the next three months and it is always of interest to see what the next Tuesday brings.  So....don't go away!

Day 23: January 23rd - Canaveral National Seashore

     Sunny and warm 75 degrees

View from Turtle Mound, Canaveral National Seashore

      Canaveral National Seashore is an extensive stretch of pristine beach protected from development and set aside for the preservation of habitat and wildlife.   While I don't consider the refuge the "birdiest" of our haunts, it does have a lot of character.  In the past, the town of ElDora sat along the shores of the Indian River Lagoon and acted as one of the major waystations for the vessels carrying the native fruit north from the many orchards along the river.  Today, a restored building is the only real remnant of this time gone by.  As you walk down the old access road to the statehouse, you pass under the overhanging limbs of the giant live oaks so typical of the part of Florida.  In the spring, the oaks are a favorite haunt of migrating warblers, but during the winter months, this habitat can be pretty quiet.  And so it is today.  

       This is one of the best locations to sight the little armadillos as they forage along the roadside, digging their snouts into the sandy soil in search of bugs and grubs.  A little one we spotted today would occasionally rear up on its hind legs like a begging puppy.

  Their beady eyes serve them poorly and if you remain motionless, they will often walk within a foot of you, paying little heed.  Their platy armor serves then well therefore, so they will roll into a tight ball if threatened by predators.  

       We also spotted a nice close-up osprey perched on a limb overlooking the lagoon.

      He disappeared shortly after I took this shot and swept out over the water, plunging to take a nice fish.  A nearby immature eagle was obviously watching this activity, and quickly flew in to relieve the osprey of his quarry.  This is a scene we see very often down here.  When Ben Franklin fought against the establishment of the Bald eagle as our national symbol for this very reason.  The eagle is more of an opportunistic plunderer than a skilled hunter or at least it would seem so from our observations.

       We'll be heading up to the Halifax River Audubon's meeting later this evening in Holly Hill, FL, so we use cut our trip through the seashore short.  We will return for sure in the near future, however.

Day 22: January 22nd - A Walk on the Beach

Sunny, calm skies, warm with temps in the low 70's

New Smyrna Beach

     It's our first full day on the beach in the town of New Smyrna Beach, and it is gratifying to see some of our old "friends" we have grown so accustomed to working the shoreline.  It's a totally integrated cast of characters as we find Royal terns, Laughing gulls, Ring-billls, a few Herring gulls, two Great Black-backed gulls, and Ruddy turnstones sharing their turf with the Sanderlings.

Ring-billed gull

        Many of the birds are simply standing in place, all facing into what little breeze there is, but the Sanderlings are doing what Sanderlings do....chasing the ebbing waves into the ocean and then retreating quickly as the surf comes rolling back onto the beach.  A Willet or two are also to be found and they also are foraging along the surf line in search of any little morsel which might come floating by.  

Royal tern

     Our shot of the day goes to a Royal tern which is trying to prepare for his cameo by preening and getting his "-do" just right for the camera.  It's an incredibly beautiful day for mid-winter even by Florida standards.  We can only hope that this is the beginning of an extended period of warming temps and dry weather for us northern birders.

Day 21: January 21st - Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge, GA

Mostly sunny, warm (70's), calm winds

        Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge has become one of favorite stop-overs as we travel back to New York from Florida in the spring.  It is a haven for Yellow-crowned night herons and other herons and egrets as well as many passerines returning north along with us for the warming climes of their breeding grounds.  For whatever reason, however, we rarely pay a visit to this refuge during the winter months.  We are anxious to see what birds will await us when we visit today.

        Well, we are somewhat disappointed by the lack of the night-herons...both black and yellow-crowned.  But at the Woody Pond where we are used to seeing the herons, we do find many other birds.  In the distance, a lone Red-shouldered hawk is watching over the pond which is littered with coots, Hooded mergansers, a few Pied-billed grebes and two pair of Buffleheads.  In the low-lying brush adjacent to the pond, a diminutive Ruby-crowned kinglet is picking little bugs from the undersides of the leaves.

Ruby-crowned kinglet

     Waxwings and robins fill the surrounding trees as Chipping sparrows and Goldfinches work the lower brush and grasses.

Chipping sparrow

        We travel on around the wildlife drive and park the car to walk in along one of the old roadways of what was a military air field.  Lesser scaup, a Little blue heron, some more Hooded mergs, and Buffleheads are in the shallow impoundments as an occasional Forster's tern flies overhead.  The best sighting for me, however, is a small group of blackbirds perched in a tree overhanging the shallows.  A quick glimpse with the binoculars reveals that pale iris which says, "Rusty blackbird", a bird I haven't seen in a couple of years!

Rusty blackbird

A nice addition to the year list which makes the stop at this marvelous refuge well worth the time and effort to visit here.  I'm sure when we return in May, we will finally get those Yellow-crowns we missed today.  For now, we'll gladly take the Rusties.  Time to get back on I-95 as we continue our journey south.  

Day 20: January 20th- Hilton Head Island

Mostly sunny, calm,  high 60's

     A most pleasant day today as we spend our final day on Hilton Head Island exploring the last few "Important Bird Areas"  on the island.  We began by exploring the beach and found surprising few birds.  A few shallow depressions filled with water were being foraged by a half dozen or so Sanderlings, and Ring-billed gulls were seen out over the surf.  But that was about it for the ocean environs.  

The beach at Hilton Head, NC

      From the beach, we headed to a local park by the name of Jarvis Creek.  Beautiful little park with a good size deck overlooking a pond which was just filled with Double-creasted Cormorants, Ring-billed gulls, and a lone Wood stork (first of the year).  There were so many small fish near the surface that the cormorants were all dipping down and coming up with a fine morsel on virtually every attempt.  The gulls were swooping down with similar success and a pair of Greater scaup (also FOTY) were crossing the opposite bank.

Cormorant buffet

DC Cormorant

      At the end of the day, however, I finally capture what I have to consider as the "Pick of the Day".  The quality was not the best, but the subject and the context make it stand out in my mind.  Of all places I've photographed Eastern bluebirds, I never before captured the image of this bird while perched on a deck brush.  The bird, located on a boat at Harbour Town, was more than cooperative and wins the honors of the day.  Here he is......

Image of the day - Bluebird in Harbour Town

Day 19: January 19th - Robber's Row Golf Course

Sunny, temperature 61 degrees

Robber's Row Golf Course

       The jury is still out regarding the effect of golf courses on our environment.  Do the chemicals used by so many of the courses have an adverse effect on the surrounding area, or are course management strategies  changing....becoming more "green" to the point that they might actually enhance the habitat?  Well, there is no getting around the fact that the local environs are altered to a fairly substantial degree.  I have mixed feelings in that I love nature, I love birding, I love photography, and I also love playing golf.  So, obviously what you are getting here is not exactly an unbiased reflection.
      What I have seen over and over is a great deal of wildlife activity taking place around the courses I've played.  The positive side is the addition of water features, the efforts by many courses to preserve the surround habitat which might otherwise become strip malls, condos, parking lots, and any other of a plethora of other less desirable constructions.  The courses also provide "edges" along which many birds find excellent hunting opportunities.
      A brief anecdote regarding yesterday's outing at Robber's Row Golf Course on Hilton Head Island.  The entire left hand side of one of the Par 3's was a water feature.  The shallow pond extended about 125 yards and was about 30 yards across.  Along the far edge, we observed 5 turtles being ever so slowly stalked by an alligator.  The gator was moving almost imperceptibly towards its quarry while to our amazement a flotilla of 6 Hooded mergansers swam in right next to the gator.  Within a few moments, a Great egret had also joined the group.  We didn't have time to see any outcome (if there indeed was one), but I do know that gators will gladly feed on any unsuspecting turtle not vigilant enough to avoid becoming a meal.  Note the "heads up" posture of the turtles in today's "photo of the day".  I have the feeling that none of these guys was going to satisfy the gator's appetite today.  
      Golf, birding, nature, photography...it doesn't get much better than this.

Turtles and Gator in waiting

Day 18: January 18th - Sea Pines Forest Preserve

Early clouds, becoming sunny and mild (61 degrees)

     Well, what a pleasant surprise.  Less than 5 minutes from the door of our condo in Sea Pines, Hilton Head, we discovered the Sea Pines Forest Preserve.  The 605 acres was set aside in 1970 for wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation.  One can drive throughout the preserve or park and hike the several miles of woodland trails, bridle paths, and wetland boardwalks.  Several of these lead to observation decks, fishing docks, and a major picnic pavilion.

Lawton Rice Field Boardwalk

     There are four lakes within the preserve and our first sightings of Anhingas this year were on this preserve.  One of the trails is aptly named the "Anhinga" trail, and all along the shoreline, we found both male and female birds.

Female anhinga

      The shot(s) of the day go to a series of photographs which show a Forster's tern taking advantage the rich bounty of baitfish upon which the terns were feeding.  As we watched their plunges into the water, we could tell that the success rate was high with more birds emerging from their dives with fish in their bills than not.  This preserve is a gem and we will revisit it in the future.

Forster's tern - begins the dive

Locked on the target

Impact is imminent

Day 17: January 17th - Savannah National Wildlife Refuge

Partly sunny, 68 degrees, calming winds

      As I wandered through cyberspace this morning, Googling new locations to bird around Hilton Head Island where we are stationed for the week, I realized that we were only 28 miles from another great National Wildlife Refuge, Savannah NWR.  I proposed the possibility of a visit to this site to our group, and with little hesitation, we packed the SUV and were ready to roll.

Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive, Savannah NWR

     Upon arrival, we scout the area around the kiosk at the head of the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive, a 4 mile gravel road around the impoundments of the refuge.  A few "LBJ"s (little brown jobs for you non-birders) are flitting around the trees, but we are anxious to get out onto the drive.
     We drive through the 4 mile drive in a blistering mile an hour pace.....that's right, 4 hours to complete 4 miles.  Harriers, kestrels, Red-shouldered hawks, and at least one Sharp-shinned hawk are patrolling the area as a nice collection of shovelers,  Blue-winged teal, Gadwalls, the omnipresent American coots,  Pied-billed grebes, Lesser scaup and others dotted the surface of the impoundments.  With all these on site to choose from, finding the "shot of the day" was going to be difficult.  That was until we ran into our first-of-the-year Logger shrike sitting out on an open limb in perfect lighting made its appearance.

Loggerhead shrike

       At day's end, we did manage to add 5 new "year birds" from the 40 birds we listed for the day.  Great weather for January 17th, an enjoyable productive drive around the preserve, and a nice visual images of some wonderful birds made for another fantastic day in the field. 

Day 16: January 16th - Pinckney National Wildlife Refuge

Partly cloudy, calm winds, 54 degrees

     Pinckney NWR is a wetland located 1/2 mile west of Hilton Head Island, SC.  Our targets today include any of the sparrows associated with salt marshes....Seaside, Saltmarsh, and Nelson's.  Let's see what we can find!

Pinckney National Wildlife Refuge

     Plenty of hiking around the refuge and very little in the way of a "drive-around".  The hiking is very easy, however, as the "trails" are as wide was most wood roads and are steady underfoot.  Our targets today are the sparrows as mentioned above, but they were so elusive as to make identification difficult at best, skulking in the depths of the thick cover of reeds and rushes as they are want to do.  
     We travelled along the Ibis Pond Trail and eventually came upon the "pond".  More of a fresh water moat around an island of low lying scrub and trees, the area was an oasis for the local avian life.  Passerines were flying in and out of the shrubs, and "first-of-the-year" Common gallinules, Coots, and Hooded mergs were swimming in the water surrounding the island.  

      On our right, as we circumvented the island oasis, a thick stand of long-leaf pine seemed like a likely habitat for the Brown-headed nuthatches which had eluded me up at Santee.  No calls, no visual sign, but  man, it looked like such ideal habitat for the Brown-heads.  So, I pulled out the "jam" and gave a few "shout-outs" to see if I rouse any these little guys.   Within 30 seconds, three of the nuthatches descended upon me.  I grabbed the Nikon and fired away....evidence of another year bird.

Brown-headed nuthatch

     Coming around to the back side of the island oasis, we came across a pair of Hooded mergansers.  The male was obviously interested in the female as he had his hood fully raised and was certainly making headway, or so we thought.  Before long, he seemed to lose interest and with lowered hood, swam away from the female with an air of "who needs you?"  Playing hard-to-get may pay off for the drake, however, as when we were about to leave, the hen seemed to be moving in closer, trying to close in and perhaps make amends with the male.  It is the middle of winter, and this may in fact be mere role-playing.  But for now, it appears to be a "man's world" with the male in control of his own destiny.

Video: Hooded mergansers

Day 15: January 15th - Shelter Cove, Hilton Head

Beautiful sunshine, cool mid 50's, Calm winds

     Our first full day on Hilton Head is led by our friends John and Rosie who scouted out the area prior to our arrival yesterday afternoon,  They have located a community park called Veterans's Memorial which is part of the Shelter Cove Park system.  They had nice birds there yesterday, and so we head out with eager anticipation.  

White ibis

       We begin with a mature Bald eagle soaring overhead, an indication of things to come.  Our second bird of the day is a chevron of three White ibises doing a fly-by as we watch from the observation deck overlooking the marsh.  Great blue herons and Great egrets dot the landscape as we scan the horizon for any other new species.  We come to a meadow which is literally inundated with Yellow-rumped warblers on almost every tree, shrub, and sapling.  A pond the size of a football field lies beyond this meadow and a cursory glance reveals a large group of male and female Buffleheads.  We move around the pond behind the protective cover of wax myrtle and bay to find that there are much more than the Buffleheads to keep us looking.  Great blue herons, Great egrets, more than 10 Black-crowned night herons, a lone Pied-billed grebe, a Bonaparte's gull, half a dozen Double-crested cormorants, and both Turkey and Black vultures overhead join the myriad of Yellow-rumps and Palm warblers to set this beautiful stage with a remarkable cast of characters.  

Shelter Cove Park

      We spend 20 minutes or so watching the show and then head back towards the car.  On our way, we come across a small group of Eastern bluebirds which descend upon us to see what we are up to.  

Eastern bluebirds

     As we leave the area, we make one more stop at a marsh across the street and walk a short way along a black-topped trail.  Coming around a blind corner, we run headlong into a low flying Sharp-shinned hawk which "buzzes" us before continuing down the trail.   Our final sighting is a group of 4 Great egrets along with 2 "first of the year" Snowy egrets.  It's time to head back to our quarters to watch the Giants-Packers game.  Quite an afternoon for just staying close to our condo.  We have a listing of 9 more nature preserves on the Island to visit, and so we know that we will not be at a loss for places to check out.