F#@% the Tufted Duck!

Howdee all,

Jeff and I left our Homey in NC and have road tripped to MA dropping my Sicksta off at Mom and Dads in CT on our way.

Jeff and I are now in MA staying with our daughter and her hubbie for about a week.

On our way up north from North Carolina I read Michael O'Brien's Post of having The Best Crab cakes of the Century and seeing the Tufted Duck from that same location outside of Annapolis.

We always spend the night in Annapolis..it is our half way point.

So…what could be better than Tufted Duck and Crab cakes?

I realized on our way to Annapolis that we would not be able to make it to the The Narrows restaurant for dinner and Duck as it was on the other side of Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

So instead we went to Davis Pub for dinner..one that Yelp recommended for good Crab cakes…well, the Crap cakes were just that..not good at all.

Salty, not lump crab..very disappointing.

In the morning on our way out of the area, we decided we might try for the Tufted Duck.

It must have been below 0 with the wind chill factor. I am guessing 100 below at least!

It was ridiculously cold..

..after about fifteen minutes I had enough of freezing my ASs off and yelled~

 F#@% The Duck!!!!

We all laughed and ran into the car for warmth.

We continued to look via the warmth of our car for the Duck.

I don’t know how you diehard Northern birders do this..I am a Whimp!

We saw these strange birds..

I am awarding The Icicle award for the ID of these!

If its too hard to tell by butt..

How about this view?

It was difficult to take photos of the ducks inside..

and

I WAS NOT going to outside to freeze, nor would I be rolling down my window.

So ..I took just a few photos thru the dirty glass of our car windows.

We continued looking for the duck..driving to a few other areas..

after about a 45 minutes of looking through many small rafts of Scaup, Bufflehead, Coot and Long-tailed duck.

we all decided..

F#@% The  Tufted Duck

We had to be in CT at a certain time…and we had no more time to spend looking.

………………………………

 

In a week or so …when we head back south.

We intend to get to The Narrows Restaurant for an early dinner..

We might have Duck

Pea with a side of Alligator

Howdee all,

Our last day at Pettigrew State Park.

Jeff and I decided to take the drive to Pea Island NWR rather than going back to Mattamuskeet NWR.

This was a new area to explore, and I wanted some sand to sink my toes in.

It was about a 45 minute drive from the park to the Island.

We stopped at a few pull offs on route to the Visitor Center.

Checking to see what birds were around.

We took the pathway from the visitor center under the arbor..

We were greeted by Grackle and Shorebirds

Yellow-rumped warbler

And a River Otter who entertained the crowd..

We followed the birding trail to the last platform overlooking ponds on either side of us.

Shorebirds, Ducks, Swan and Geese

A Great Blue Heron struggles with a large fish..A nearby Pelican harasses the Heron in hopes of attaining the fish.

The Heron gives up and drops the fish for the Brown Pelican

It didn’t take too long for the Pelican to down the fish.

We hang out and chat with other birders at the overlook and watch the birds.

Its good to have a scope to pick up the distant birds.

The viewer above was useless.

Our stomachs began to grumble so we headed for the beach across the road to have our lunch.

And look for birds..

After lunch we drove south..

Sand was being cleared from the road.

Homes were damaged.

Vulnerable..so close to the ocean..

I am assuming this is damage from Hurricane Sandy but not sure.

Reinforcing with Sandbags...

I noticed the old sandbags like this torn and on the other side of the road.

After our short tour south we decided to Check out Alligator River NWR

We were told to go to the flooded fields.

To look for Ducks, Swan and shorebirds.

Do you see them?

Shorebirds..in the shallows

It was a great day of Birding Fun!

We will go back to this area again.

We are now packing up for a visit to CT and MA~Homey stays warm in NC while we freeze up north for a week.

I will pack my thermals!

 The below list is just from our Pea Island visit..I haven't compiled Alligator River bird list yet

Jan 19, 2013
Pea Island NWR--Salt Flats
Traveling
15 miles
200 Minutes
Observers: 2
All birds reported? Yes
Comments:  
Submitted from BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.5.1
  Snow Goose
  Canada Goose
  Tundra Swan
  Gadwall
  American Wigeon
  American Black Duck
  Mallard
  Northern Shoveler
  Northern Pintail
  Bufflehead
  Hooded Merganser
  Ruddy Duck
  Common Loon
  Pied-billed Grebe
  Northern Gannet
  Double-crested Cormorant
  American White Pelican
  Brown Pelican
  Great Blue Heron
  Great Egret
  Tricolored Heron
  White Ibis
  Northern Harrier
  Red-shouldered Hawk
  American Coot
  Black-bellied Plover
  Killdeer
  Greater Yellowlegs
  Willet
  Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs
  Ruddy Turnstone
  Sanderling
  Dunlin
  Short-billed Dowitcher
  Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher
  Laughing Gull
  Ring-billed Gull
  Herring Gull
  Great Black-backed Gull
  Mourning Dove
  Belted Kingfisher
  Northern Flicker
  Tufted Titmouse
  Gray Catbird
  European Starling
  Yellow-rumped Warbler
  Savannah Sparrow
  Song Sparrow
  Red-winged Blackbird
  Eastern Meadowlark
  Boat-tailed Grackle

Frosty Morn at Pettigrew State Park

Howdee all,
It's a frosty morning here at the campground. We are up and traveling to the coast as I type this.
Pea Island is our destination.

Yesterday we stayed local and birded around Lake Phelps.
Here are a few photos from one of the observation platforms.

We managed to get stuck in the mud while trying to make it to Pungo Lake..luckily just a few tense minutes....and a real muddy car.

Today is sunny ..I hope warms up a bit more so I can walk the beach with my shoes off. :)

Mattamuskeet NWR

Howdee all,

Before heading out to explore for the first time

  Mattamuskeet NWR

We stopped at Lake Phelps, just a hop skip and a short walk from our campsite at Pettigrew State Park.

It was foggy…

We did see this lone Forster’s Tern

It was about a forty minute drive to the refugee from our campground.

We arrived on the road the splits the lake in two.

Refuge’s main feature is Lake Mattamuskeet (40,000 acres) and is North Carolina’s largest natural lake.
Significant wintering populations of ducks, Canada geese, snow geese and tundra swans. Also, concentrations of bald eagles and other raptors, wading birds and shorebirds occur seasonally.
Significant fishery resources including largemouth bass, sunfish (bream), white perch, crappie, alewives (herring) and blue crabs are associated with Lake Mattamuskeet and canals.
Habitats consist of open water (40,000 acres), freshwater marsh (3,180 acres), forested wetlands (3500 acres), managed wetlands or impoundments (2600 acres), croplands (520 acres), and forested uplands/admin. lands (80 acres) ~via http://www.fws.gov/mattamuskeet/nathist.html

 

We started birding..

The morning started out blustery and we were bundled up.

We found these areas that the water was allowed to flow thru attracted birds…

Great Blue Heron

A Forster’s Tern diving for fish..

It is successful

There were a few clouds to the east

Rain was forecast, but so far no rain.

We continued to bird the sides of the road..Stopping at most of the pull offs

And boardwalks..

Looking for whatever we could find..

Do you see two birds below?

We leave the main road and take the road into the park toward the Refuge center.

Many ducks, geese and swan.

Until a Bald Eagle fly's thru..

then they take to the air.

Many different shapes and sizes..

There we turtles everywhere!

Most times when I walk by turtles they seem skittish and go into the water..

not these turtles..

One bird I didn’t expect to see here

Common Gallinule

The ranger said there are two being seen in the park.

This was the one bird that ebird flagged when I entered my bird list last night.

It started to cloud up a bit more..and becomes warm.

We shed some layers..

We birded a few of the little peninsulas that jut off the park road.

Lots of sparrows and a surprise Black and White warbler.

Many hiding in the reeds.

Find the Great Blue Heron

The end of the road..

And Wood Duck land.

Wood Duck box

We did have a brief shower soon after I took this shot..

and headed for the car.

It quickly cleared and the last light of the day

lit up the grasses and birds.

Tundra Swan and ducks..

The sun starts to leave us and it becomes chilly …Jeff bundles up.

Our last glimpse of birds before dark..

Pintail, Coot, Shovelers

Another Lovely Day!

Check out our bird list for the day…

Jan 16, 2013
Lake Mattamuskeet NWR
Traveling
15 miles
420 Minutes
Observers: 2
All birds reported? Yes
Comments:  
Submitted from BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.5.1
  Snow Goose
  Canada Goose
  Tundra Swan
  Wood Duck
  Gadwall
  American Wigeon
  American Black Duck
  Mallard
  Blue-winged Teal
  Northern Shoveler
  Northern Pintail
  Green-winged Teal
  Canvasback
  Bufflehead
  Hooded Merganser
  Ruddy Duck
  Pied-billed Grebe
  Double-crested Cormorant
  American White Pelican
  Great Blue Heron
  Great Egret
  Snowy Egret
  Glossy Ibis
  Turkey Vulture
  Bald Eagle
  Northern Harrier
  American Kestrel
  American Coot
  Bonaparte's Gull
  Ring-billed Gull
  Great Black-backed Gull
  Forster's Tern
  Mourning Dove
  Belted Kingfisher
  Red-bellied Woodpecker
  Downy Woodpecker
  Pileated Woodpecker
  Eastern Phoebe
  Carolina Chickadee
  Tufted Titmouse
  Carolina Wren
  House Wren
  Winter Wren
  Golden-crowned Kinglet
  Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  American Robin
  Northern Mockingbird
  European Starling
  Yellow-rumped Warbler
  Palm Warbler
  Black-and-white Warbler
  Common Yellowthroat
  Chipping Sparrow
  Savannah Sparrow
  Song Sparrow
  Swamp Sparrow
  White-throated Sparrow
  Northern Cardinal
  Red-winged Blackbird
  Eastern Meadowlark
  Common Grackle
  Brown-headed Cowbird
  Common Gallinule -- One bird seen and photographed - 2 birds at refugee