Southeast
On May 27th from Panama City Beach we ventured to Savannah, Georgia. Along the way in Panacea, FL we got our first looks at perhaps the most graceful flying bird of the year. Unfortunately I have yet to have my camera at the ready when seeing one of these beautiful Swallow-Tailed Kites. Also on that trip we saw lifers in our first Wood Storks in Eulonia, GA, and a Limpkin in Dorchester, GA.
Tropical storm Beryl provided some serious rain on the 29th when Deborah and I visited Harris Head NWR. There was another great rookery where we saw Wood Storks with chicks and took the shots below of some very wet birds.
Tropical storm Beryl provided some serious rain on the 29th when Deborah and I visited Harris Head NWR. There was another great rookery where we saw Wood Storks with chicks and took the shots below of some very wet birds.
White Ibis
Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
Wood Stork with Chick
Also out of Savanah I went birding at The Landing on Skidaway Island. There a lifer was added in an Eastern Phoebe. Lastly we joined an Audubon field trip at the Savannah NWR on the 2nd of June. Here we saw our first Purple Gallinules after much searching as well as the birds shown below and others.
Black-Crowned Night Heron adolescent
Carolina Chickadee
Little Blue Heron with child
Pilleated Woodpecker
Prothonotary Warbler
Green Heron
Mississippi Kite
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Carolina Wren
Little Blue Heron
Anhinga
Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
Black-Necked Stilt
Next stop, Charleston, South Carolina. After celebrating our 37th anniversary on June 7th on a fabulous dinner cruise, the next morning we toured the Audubon Swamp at the Magnolia Plantation. What a great venue for birding it is. Our last birding of South Carolina was at Huntington St. Pk. At the Visitor's Center we found out a rare Brown Booby had been see on the jetty off the beach. So, off we went. It turned out to be a mile+ hike up the beach before the jetty even started.... and then it started to blow and pour rain. We figured we'd come this far so we had to keep going. Visibility was down to just a few hundred feet but ultimately we did spot the Booby so it was well worth the adventure.
New birds have slowed considerably lately. However as of 6/12/12 the count is up to 324 for the year, including 121 lifers.
New birds have slowed considerably lately. However as of 6/12/12 the count is up to 324 for the year, including 121 lifers.
Little Blue Heron
Great Egret
Black-Bellied Whistling Duck
Wood Stork
Next stop was Croatan Nat. Forest Campground, NC. Here, after trying many times previously, we finally had close looks at Painted Buntings. Then came Hatteras/Outer Banks (where I was unable to schedule a Pelagic trip) but did identify my 1st ever Great Black-Backed Gull.
Common Yellowthroat
Painted Bunting
Willet
Brown Booby
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Phoebe and Chicks