tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65869567268178664812024-02-25T08:40:40.982-05:00Pluff Mud PerspectivesBlog for Charleston Audubon: Views on nature near and farCathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.comBlogger176125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-34628122265665698822016-08-14T14:03:00.001-04:002016-08-14T15:48:12.102-04:00Pluff Mud Perspectives: We Are Listening to "Talkin' Birds!"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Regular readers: Do you remember this former banner for the blog? It is a hint ..... Read on! </td></tr>
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Sunday morning and it is too hot to bird -- so what do you do? You can get your birding-fix by listening to "Talkin' Birds." And, no, I do not mean go outside to listen to morning birdsong. Remember, it is hot! You will not hear too much birdsong in August anyway since the breeding season is essentially over. No, I am referring to the radio show, <a href="http://www.talkinbirds.com/" target="_blank">"Ray Brown's Talkin' Birds."</a> The show is broadcast live every Sunday morning at 9:30 am originating from South Shore, Massachussetts. Ray Brown hosts the show and brings in a number of birding experts in an interactive format to cover such topics as different bird species and their behavior, attracting and feeding backyard birds, birding destinations & events, birders, bird photography .... pretty much everything bird-related. The show is quite informative and fun as they always feature a "Mystery Bird" contest at the end of the broadcast. <br />
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Unfortunately, if you are out birding on Sunday mornings, as many of us are, you are likely to miss the broadcast, especially down here in the Lowcountry of SC. Sadly, the show is not carried by any of our local stations. They do broadcast it live on the internet thankfully which is how I heard show no. 587 this morning in the sweet coolness of my living room. More good news: you can listen to archived broadcasts from their website or even download podcasts to listen to when and where you would like. In fact, I have to thank birding buddy David McLean for reminding me of the existence of this radio show. This summer, David and I took a birding road trip and while driving, we listened to a couple of podcasts that he had downloaded onto his phone. Each time, I knew the answer to the Mystery Bird contest and thought, "Darn, I should listen to this show live sometime and participate in the contest." <br />
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So, on this too-hot-to-bird morning (low temperature this morning was in the low 80s), I listened to the live show! It was a great show with an interesting piece on research on birds that sleep on the wing. They also talked about the "Little Egret," a species (similar to our Snowy Egret) that is commonly seen in Europe, Africa, southern Asia, and Australia. These days, they are rare visitors to our North Atlantic coast in North America. In fact, one has been visiting the Maine coast regularly every summer for the last few years. I actually have seen one ... but not on this side of the ocean. I was in France 6 years ago when I saw it. <br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQK_rtFXL-H_hAtXtFX47cDdSz_fHgwXXjBsrbpF5zEts4Hx1gzm2ZT-dMPqKUbkyogYQChi9zJ9aRqrdIphcdlPOQX0SQxb1mqd4wl5Hlzvy9ytndhYLod77lhu8IIzpTEEIuOnlfqdqh/s1600/5487_littleegret_aigrettegarzette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQK_rtFXL-H_hAtXtFX47cDdSz_fHgwXXjBsrbpF5zEts4Hx1gzm2ZT-dMPqKUbkyogYQChi9zJ9aRqrdIphcdlPOQX0SQxb1mqd4wl5Hlzvy9ytndhYLod77lhu8IIzpTEEIuOnlfqdqh/s640/5487_littleegret_aigrettegarzette.jpg" width="498" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Little Egret, Parc-du-Marquenterre, Baie de Somme, France -- July 2010</td></tr>
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And as for the Mystery Bird contest, I did attempt an answer on the show. Did I win? Well, you are going to have to listen to <a href="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/546a29dfe4b0bb15f18a11df/t/57b095adf5e231afce9958d7/1471190535970/RBTB+AIRCK+08-14-16.mp3/original/RBTB+AIRCK+08-14-16.mp3" target="_blank">show #587</a> to find out! Enjoy! <br />
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So, my birding friends, next time you cannot get out to bird on a Sunday morning, you can get that birding fix by listening to <a href="http://www.talkinbirds.com/listen/" target="_blank">Ray Brown's Talkin' Birds</a>! Or, download a few podcasts and listen to them in the car with your fellow birders on road trips, like David & I did. It's fun and informative! <b>Thank you Ray Brown for Talkin' Birds!</b> Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-69486031068425847752016-07-30T18:26:00.000-04:002016-07-30T18:26:19.974-04:00THREE New Yard Birds within 16 Hours for Parc Perlière -- July 29-30, 2016!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiej7uXnNiATtU7kp1SNSaClMpjLoRbZ38saHCX21Es_N3P5INMczyfIkRAE5vr2Z3F3XJInRBrWyvTd2cK_js2CdsdRSZSd92BjnHG21oJVXrlvbcqnqnJQ9tig_-OHhVqty_2aAuvYwyl/s1600/31754481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiej7uXnNiATtU7kp1SNSaClMpjLoRbZ38saHCX21Es_N3P5INMczyfIkRAE5vr2Z3F3XJInRBrWyvTd2cK_js2CdsdRSZSd92BjnHG21oJVXrlvbcqnqnJQ9tig_-OHhVqty_2aAuvYwyl/s400/31754481.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louisiana Waterthrush -- Parc Perlière, Charleston, SC -- Photo by Carl Miller</td></tr>
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WOW! Yes, it is true! I am sort of dumbfounded by this. Quite frankly, when your yard list already has 112 species on it, you do not really expect to be able to add 3 yard birds in a 16 hour time frame. In fact, in 2014, we did not have any new yard species. And yet, since yesterday 5 pm, we have indeed added 3 new yard birds to Parc Perlière's life list! Thanks to late summer dispersal and the start of Fall migration! <br />
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It all began yesterday afternoon, Friday, July 29. Carl had arrived home from work and found his access to the garage blocked by the cleaning crew who were loading their car to leave. So Carl decided to park on the street and pass his time waiting by picking up pine cones in the yard. He went to deposit the pine cones in a brush pile behind the house close to the creek and flushed this <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Louisiana_Waterthrush/id" target="_blank">Louisiana Waterthrush</a> (see photo above)! He shot a few quick pictures and then came into the house to tell me. We quickly looked up some websites that contrasted Louisiana and Northern Waterthrushes to make sure of the ID. With that consistently thick, white supercilium line extending back from the eye and the pure white, unspotted chin, we were positive that we had a Louisiana: Parc Perlière Yard Bird no. 113! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louisiana Waterthrush -- Parc Perlière, Charleston, SC -- Photo by Carl Miller</td></tr>
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We then went back outside so that I could find and observe the bird! Carl was able to capture a few more pictures for us and I was able to get the scope on him to see some excellent, tail-bobbing action. Louisiana Waterthrushes are one of the earliest migrating species. They nest and feed alongside streams inland. They do not breed in the SC Lowcountry so this one was passing through. According to <a href="http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/" target="_blank">Birds of North America Online</a> (an invaluable resource on the life histories of our North American species from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the American Ornothologists' Union) when they migrate, they still tend to gravitate towards water. So they are often seen in migration along side ponds, ditches, wooded creek areas such as what we have in our backyard. We were thrilled to be able to add him to our yard list.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoe5S-sgQ3Zm82ppl9v6oGAV7tOZG6H8-DX3GKRqObP8abB5QX3Ojw1fZhrt5TcEaiAxdD9OGX9QDX8zUbOL2KruFS6FUnw-ZHMNx5fTpWyn7fSpPftRJ1Z_8xMWA_zKmAhD61lRcve3S/s1600/31754491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoe5S-sgQ3Zm82ppl9v6oGAV7tOZG6H8-DX3GKRqObP8abB5QX3Ojw1fZhrt5TcEaiAxdD9OGX9QDX8zUbOL2KruFS6FUnw-ZHMNx5fTpWyn7fSpPftRJ1Z_8xMWA_zKmAhD61lRcve3S/s640/31754491.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louisiana Waterthrush -- Parc Perlière, Charleston, SC -- Photo by Carl Miller</td></tr>
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This morning, like many mornings this summer, I had my breakfast with the Bijou (our kitty) sitting on the swing on our back deck. With these hot summer days, early morning & late evening are truly the only times of day when we can enjoy the deck. I hoped that perhaps the Louisiana Waterthrush had hung around and that I might see him again. Such was not the case. However, as I was bringing the birding gear out on the deck, I looked up to see a flyover <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barn_Swallow/id" target="_blank">Barn Swallow</a>! I was pretty sure that we had never observed one in our yard before. They tend to stay close to their nesting sites and I did not know of any nesting closeby. I checked our eBird list for the yard and sure enough, this Barn Swallow was Parc Perlière Yard Bird no. 114! Sadly, there is no photo to commemorate the sighting.<br />
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Being early, the birds were fairly active and thus, I decided to keep a stationary list. Birds tend to come and go in waves. I have been watching a young & clumsy Brown Thrasher trying to become a feeder bird. This morning he succeeded in getting a nut. I looked up to the live oak on the right when I heard the raspy European Starlings arrive. Their calls announced another multi-species wave of birds. And there, right above the starlings in excellent light sat a yellow <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Summer_Tanager/id" target="_blank">Summer Tanager</a>! OMG! I am pretty darn sure that we have never had a Summer Tanager in the yard! I lifted the camera and began to adjust the settings and he/she was gone. I saw this bird one more time before it became too hot to sit out on the deck. I am not sure whether this bird was a female or a juvenile. I checked our yard list to confirm that this was indeed a new species for our yard: Parc Perlière Yard Bird no. 115!<br />
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This evening, when the high temperature begins to abate, I will go out and look for this Summer Tanager and the Louisiana Waterthrush again. Perhaps I will get a photo ... It would be nice to have a photo of the Summer Tanager for the record!<br />
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Who would have thought that our yard list would increase by three in a 16 hour period! It just goes to show that you never know when you will be surprised by a bird or THREE! <br />
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-63336586072020179322016-05-15T21:58:00.000-04:002016-05-15T21:58:17.000-04:00Views on Nature from the Back Deck Swing -- Saturday May 14, 2016<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-DD49d4XgoQUSxs4kx5kNVV0h8pXe88PLPexjSrQWL32feaQniYHvIW_z3ZJQi1-SIAtH0olDT6Y9PHj9HJrYSGVBiiZiydqKXMw2kH_eO1Na8-R7Xgy28SDbgCcIWoIao0NaodVYyIo/s1600/Bijou-111050822_em.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-DD49d4XgoQUSxs4kx5kNVV0h8pXe88PLPexjSrQWL32feaQniYHvIW_z3ZJQi1-SIAtH0olDT6Y9PHj9HJrYSGVBiiZiydqKXMw2kH_eO1Na8-R7Xgy28SDbgCcIWoIao0NaodVYyIo/s640/Bijou-111050822_em.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bijou -- Age 16 going on 17 -- April 23, 2016</td></tr>
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Ah yes, the simple, sweet moments in life -- a bit of sunshine & fresh air on a Spring day along with birds and other critters to watch from the back deck swing! When you are old and do not still have a lot of oomph left in you, life can be still be savored with the aforementioned special pleasures. For me, I do still have a little oomph but I had some work obligations yesterday -- grading papers. Bijou convinced me that the best place to do that was the back deck swing! And she was right! And so with coffee, papers, red pen, laptop, binoculars and camera, I perched outside on the swing alongside my old girl, graded papers and watched the wildlife. <br />
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We have several families of birds, parents and young who hang out in the trees nearby as our bird feeders hang off of the deck. So I was able to watch the antics of Blue Jays, Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Downy Woodpeckers, House Finches. The goofy begging youngsters are wonderfully entertaining. Several other species, not with young in tow, were also observed: Northern Cardinal, Cedar Waxwing, an occasional flyby egret, Chimney Swift, Northern Mockingbird, American Crow, Mallard, Brown Thrasher, Tufted Titmouse, Eastern Kingbird, Great-crested Flycatcher and American Robin. And yes, there is a Mama Wood Duck on eggs in the nestbox and so I did see her fly into the box after her morning feed. <br />
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Quiet time on the deck allows for a few decent photographic moments of the wildlife. With camera ready, I took advantage of it. Here is what I got:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjzw5ngDori41ZUmd-wo7NQ-KVfY2wdhmDF5X-6O9JRbgtpy5lUCTEgE3Cs-KUyASlV-h_oZ_gMWJQikOQ47KF86ML3Rk7lkVl4GlPiAk1SUc7-hGsluowqzR2a9UW9hMh4Wmw3PwmPer/s1600/parc_perliere-0611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjzw5ngDori41ZUmd-wo7NQ-KVfY2wdhmDF5X-6O9JRbgtpy5lUCTEgE3Cs-KUyASlV-h_oZ_gMWJQikOQ47KF86ML3Rk7lkVl4GlPiAk1SUc7-hGsluowqzR2a9UW9hMh4Wmw3PwmPer/s640/parc_perliere-0611.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carolina Wren -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Parc Perlière -- May 14, 2016</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6S0QAk_7eSJFu2g-Bg-h7zoZmxVUUMwNeNw9EUTDj1f8K8BMENyN4r9EEfMkDrAjXDBlqo3Y0CGEKwG4qRKql71iCEBnHvU6mz6N-7ARbiWpuSAuFt9_xAsZiNCok2ZSXyY3UI0CFBmwm/s1600/parc_perliere-0641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6S0QAk_7eSJFu2g-Bg-h7zoZmxVUUMwNeNw9EUTDj1f8K8BMENyN4r9EEfMkDrAjXDBlqo3Y0CGEKwG4qRKql71iCEBnHvU6mz6N-7ARbiWpuSAuFt9_xAsZiNCok2ZSXyY3UI0CFBmwm/s640/parc_perliere-0641.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Cardinal -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Parc Perlière -- May 14, 2016</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9CpTlMqV7UCcrDVLtWiabp9DBThxFiAysUAc_g4ATCk4JXm2jZNWvgQwA9rJUwkTeStxi5FMKgCUFRDaHUSbEvKaEB28Rqj5MtXT1huvFYhadj4d5dq4Xe8lj38flsC2ndWk1oG-RWX_/s1600/parc_perliere-0645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9CpTlMqV7UCcrDVLtWiabp9DBThxFiAysUAc_g4ATCk4JXm2jZNWvgQwA9rJUwkTeStxi5FMKgCUFRDaHUSbEvKaEB28Rqj5MtXT1huvFYhadj4d5dq4Xe8lj38flsC2ndWk1oG-RWX_/s640/parc_perliere-0645.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">House Finch -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> Parc Perlière -- May 14, 2016</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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Bijou is much more into the watching and/or snoozing, than in the chasing these days so neither I nor the anole worried too much about his safety as he traversed the deck in front of us. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJlLvnLLjqDrEAZqEjm43WRFo_Ng38BGZ-eKMWSKFEC-PhXmKaeVjL-uyCuchu6TSdkunw8mVMtWqB6MnENvW194KmpaFHuRj_QKBz29KBTCtskDEpD3w6cZ8AK2RhRYlVKwbbgqNdVRM/s1600/parc_perliere-0674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJlLvnLLjqDrEAZqEjm43WRFo_Ng38BGZ-eKMWSKFEC-PhXmKaeVjL-uyCuchu6TSdkunw8mVMtWqB6MnENvW194KmpaFHuRj_QKBz29KBTCtskDEpD3w6cZ8AK2RhRYlVKwbbgqNdVRM/s640/parc_perliere-0674.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carolina Anole -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Parc Perlière -- May 14, 2016</span></td></tr>
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My favorite photo of the day was my lucky shot of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird! He did not really give me but one opportunity and thankfully, the light was right and the camera ready!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZaXBjwNruoqHHipvInkMk6sETzTtygAhcOp7x6e92x59H3YLJfWC-KJKWTYAck2_el54d80D29QEFrj7ID-uJy86uR6g8duUAw-_ToEyiB5ei-bGVYeieqCiH1yw7UEx2CzjuBAX4OQU/s1600/parc_perliere-0663-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZaXBjwNruoqHHipvInkMk6sETzTtygAhcOp7x6e92x59H3YLJfWC-KJKWTYAck2_el54d80D29QEFrj7ID-uJy86uR6g8duUAw-_ToEyiB5ei-bGVYeieqCiH1yw7UEx2CzjuBAX4OQU/s640/parc_perliere-0663-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby-throated Hummingbird -- Par Perlière -- May 14, 2016</td></tr>
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Yes, indeed, these quiet moments in nature are a delight to share with my old girl who loves the sunshine, the fresh air and the swing. Sitting still and watching reveals so much about the lives of our wildlife -- even right off of the deck!. It can also be a great place to unwind from the more hectic pace of the work week. Sometimes all you need is a bit of nature, binoculars, a comfortable, swinging perch and the cheerful company of a cozy kitty! Thank you, Bijou! <br />
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-90665048285194140202016-05-14T17:32:00.000-04:002016-05-14T17:32:22.016-04:00Spring Visit to the Fabulous Francis Beidler Forest -- May 7, 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prothonotary Warbler -- Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</td></tr>
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The beginning of May, Spring has most definitely arrived. One of the best places in South Carolina to witness a truly natural, uncultivated version of Spring's renewal is in the Francis Beidler Forest. The swamp is teeming with new life easily viewed by the observant from the boardwalk. This year, on the last weekend of April, I made our annual trek to <a href="http://beidlerforest.audubon.org/events/wine-warblers" target="_blank">SC Audubon's Wine & Warblers event</a> at the <a href="http://sc.audubon.org/chapters-centers/audubon-center-sanctuary-francis-beidler-forest" target="_blank">Francis Beidler Forest Audubon Center and Sanctuary</a> solo. Carl was out of town on business, unfortunately. I thoroughly enjoyed the event and was quite sorry that Carl had missed out because the swamp was quite busy with multiple species of warblers, plenty of snakes, interesting insects, crayfish and other wildlife. I took note of where I saw nesting warblers, and when Carl returned home, I convinced him to return last weekend to the swamp. He was quite happy to see much of the same wildlife that I had experienced at Wine & Warblers. </div>
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The Hooded Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler and the Yellow-throated Vireo were in the same area close to the center, as was the family of Barred Owls. We also saw quite a handsome American Redstart. We had excellent views of all of these species and we were wonderfully serenaded by warbler song but we did not experience as much luck photographically. The exception was in capturing the delightful, head-bobbing owlets. I enjoyed a game of Peek-a-boo with one of them!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barred Owl youngster -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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As we progressed from the uplands into the swamp, we encountered a decent-sized and friendly group of photographers from the Columbia chapter of the <a href="http://www.cnpa.org/" target="_blank">Carolina Nature Photographers Association</a>. They were camped out in front of a cypress knee housing a nesting pair of Prothonotary Warblers who were bringing food to the chicks inside. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Prothonotary Warbler at nest -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Prothonotary Warbler at nest -- Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</td></tr>
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Continuing down the boardwalk, we found what appeared to be a possible nesting cavity for a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers. We did see one of them enter, but the birds did not make regular trips to the tree so we are unsure of what the nesting status may be there. </div>
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This Spring seems to be exceptionally good for the crayfish -- which in turn is quite good for the other wildlife such as Yellow-Crowned Night herons and the owls! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crayfish -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow-crowned Night Heron -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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We saw a few species of turtles (mud, box, and yellow-bellied sliders) as well we several skinks, including this romantic pair of Five-lined Skinks.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five-lined Skinks making more -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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Then, we encountered this ambitious fellow (or gal?) attempting to finish off a dragonfly!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five-lined Skink attempting to make lunch of a dragonfly -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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We saw the skink wrestle with the dragonfly twice as the odonata did manage to get away -- twice. So sadly, the skink did not enjoy a dragonfly entrée for lunch -- even after all that effort. </div>
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There was no shortage of snakes! The most beautiful one was this golden-hued and venomous Eastern Cottonmouth! Funny, I used to cringe when it came to snakes. Now, I am absolutely fascinated by them and, I also maintain a very healthy respect for them -- particularly the venomous varieties. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Cottonmouth -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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Further down the boardwalk, we continued to find active Prothonotary Warbler nests.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Prothonotary using a nestbox -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Prothonotary presumably on eggs -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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An Acadian Flycatcher also showed us the way to her nest.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxYvUZBmZ084etbDwunmplr_OSC8cmhiuWAjP815d9qZscQYaGrljF_FLzfoYfuJO2bv7WYUVUO8MmsWQn96qVVGMYhr1fdZaGjWY1Cbb0H_dyO133pW7rRiWtlZn6SfLGER741B9mViS/s1600/beidler-0385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxYvUZBmZ084etbDwunmplr_OSC8cmhiuWAjP815d9qZscQYaGrljF_FLzfoYfuJO2bv7WYUVUO8MmsWQn96qVVGMYhr1fdZaGjWY1Cbb0H_dyO133pW7rRiWtlZn6SfLGER741B9mViS/s640/beidler-0385.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acadian Flycatcher -- Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmB2MaeAGlQodkoQFfsy2FifVIkvSP9GxkTQtOayKXOozHzD0Hhie5asLm4OxBKzalMJpZuKe_kyCab578vtrzkm-sME6P6e5aPE5XfWtutyOadiGVBBli-pwc22avm_awhTNCf4Ssps-/s1600/beidler-0523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmB2MaeAGlQodkoQFfsy2FifVIkvSP9GxkTQtOayKXOozHzD0Hhie5asLm4OxBKzalMJpZuKe_kyCab578vtrzkm-sME6P6e5aPE5XfWtutyOadiGVBBli-pwc22avm_awhTNCf4Ssps-/s640/beidler-0523.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acadian Flycatcher -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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And as different birds are in various stages of the nesting cycles, we also witnessed some adorable, recently-fledged chicks, such as this little Downy Woodpecker who truly needed a longer tail. Nonetheless, he managed to climb this tree balancing on his stubby tail feathers!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitG5hlcP4Pt3MIfhxLjThrjdP-xRKZYTxuDv67uO2NT3GCxU5XBn3uMCcdSKs-pecWJf9wQwDf5WJc9Zz6WlQ3aLj3KkMtG7pRsBLXMloHyf19OJA-jIMGfzgTqgdfKFWu_YjbNz8w5Lcv/s1600/beidler-9947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitG5hlcP4Pt3MIfhxLjThrjdP-xRKZYTxuDv67uO2NT3GCxU5XBn3uMCcdSKs-pecWJf9wQwDf5WJc9Zz6WlQ3aLj3KkMtG7pRsBLXMloHyf19OJA-jIMGfzgTqgdfKFWu_YjbNz8w5Lcv/s400/beidler-9947.jpg" width="355" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downy Woodpecker chick -- Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</td></tr>
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We were entertained by a family of four Northern Parula chicks chasing after Mom begging for food.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhROb0LfKwy0cuLmIlgL-NQ3kuIIgNi7e0pzQHsIH4TxfrtPOiUD86k2apquvIeu1Ndg7PfODuAQ0_7tlVlvpflI_ujO64yws24W5GlIksSJnxsx9tWos5I3eVC1gJ3kXNY-qTl7UAZmI/s1600/beidler-0447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhROb0LfKwy0cuLmIlgL-NQ3kuIIgNi7e0pzQHsIH4TxfrtPOiUD86k2apquvIeu1Ndg7PfODuAQ0_7tlVlvpflI_ujO64yws24W5GlIksSJnxsx9tWos5I3eVC1gJ3kXNY-qTl7UAZmI/s400/beidler-0447.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Parula chick -- Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYHK-SUEPQNCfI6vjp5rPYG_CToPtpf4eDiihKXQCiiu_rBhQVjAS_uOo0OeMM1AtYj62UVqs96QMP7TE0GetAVK2STBcPPAblxsi_BM6hkFr1x2DTzEeBeN382TSh25ZTWdeqzXHyyCn/s1600/beidler-0473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYHK-SUEPQNCfI6vjp5rPYG_CToPtpf4eDiihKXQCiiu_rBhQVjAS_uOo0OeMM1AtYj62UVqs96QMP7TE0GetAVK2STBcPPAblxsi_BM6hkFr1x2DTzEeBeN382TSh25ZTWdeqzXHyyCn/s400/beidler-0473.jpg" width="330" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Parula chicks -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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The wildlife in the sanctuary are habituated to seeing humans on the boardwalk and since they never experience hunters and because the humans in their habitat do not leave the boardwalk, many are rather fearless. And thus, we watched this pregnant White-tailed Deer unabashedly approach us to nibble on some choice green leaves close-by. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKWw81GMPsw22fSzghxafLX0WSdJpIl6SabHQSnwqaTBfeDzA8cyF-YCTOpafc_oqXeRnf2IGnLAu-njdCH3Lr1_nQMooKDYe1jj4NT2cJGeyoXjL0NN1X7X3HnIE-7Afxr98U27vsGEd/s1600/beidler-0096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKWw81GMPsw22fSzghxafLX0WSdJpIl6SabHQSnwqaTBfeDzA8cyF-YCTOpafc_oqXeRnf2IGnLAu-njdCH3Lr1_nQMooKDYe1jj4NT2cJGeyoXjL0NN1X7X3HnIE-7Afxr98U27vsGEd/s640/beidler-0096.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female White-tailed Deer -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9r799AW4OTorj42y1qHyRWX9IjfLPh9uoKUAlpykDQeiEwvVqhGZkTCthFdg7Tt7JnRum3pf0038wJEdH_kQft4C_n1T4l1-RQ6s6mxCeH5hQ2vOlC8v4jgEXz1cB-ms96dH9Wm1ljVx6/s1600/beidler-0111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9r799AW4OTorj42y1qHyRWX9IjfLPh9uoKUAlpykDQeiEwvVqhGZkTCthFdg7Tt7JnRum3pf0038wJEdH_kQft4C_n1T4l1-RQ6s6mxCeH5hQ2vOlC8v4jgEXz1cB-ms96dH9Wm1ljVx6/s640/beidler-0111.jpg" width="554" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female White-tailed Deer -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Francis Beidler Forest & Audubon Sanctuary -- May 7, 2016</span></td></tr>
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Such beautiful moments in the Spring in our southern forests! And the Francis Beidler Forest critters allow for close at hand observations into their family lives. Carl and I found it hard to leave last weekend. We actually doubled back on the boardwalk after one complete circuit. I wholeheartedly recommend a visit to the forest now. Go slowly and quietly, listen and look -- the forest will not disappoint! It is a wonderful place for connecting to nature. And thus, you should not be surprised to find me out there again if you do visit. Hmm -- perhaps tomorrow! </div>
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Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-15026041670087271642016-04-19T06:14:00.001-04:002016-04-19T06:14:39.542-04:00Wine and Warbler Time at the Francis Beidler Forest!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdUR4MRRV_lkQ4WaAo2I-Se__jk2P3I4nrv21Oc6_FCc2gZ_7aXHLngOXJELReM0pVPX4ijGiFZiYRl-KTRtTIY8M-l98dBDF6shnDr_HF2xVoCQLKQgnumbJZC-gB5bVezp5ExBzaokl/s1600/prow-7506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdUR4MRRV_lkQ4WaAo2I-Se__jk2P3I4nrv21Oc6_FCc2gZ_7aXHLngOXJELReM0pVPX4ijGiFZiYRl-KTRtTIY8M-l98dBDF6shnDr_HF2xVoCQLKQgnumbJZC-gB5bVezp5ExBzaokl/s640/prow-7506.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prothonotary Warbler -- Star of the show at Wine and Warblers -- Francis Beidler Audubon Swamp -- April 18, 2015</td></tr>
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The Charleston area offers numerous wonderful events each Spring but my all-time favorite, not to be missed is <a href="http://beidlerforest.audubon.org/events/wine-warblers" target="_blank">Wine and Warblers</a>, a visual feast for the eyes and a delicious treat for the palette, to boot. This event, a major annual fund raiser for the Francis Beidler Audubon Swamp, showcases the incredible natural beauty of the ancient cypress Four Holes Swamp while treating visitors to a guided tour around the boardwalk with a trained and talented (one of them actually sings on occasion, others can imitate bird calls and all of them truly know their stuff) naturalists who inform you on the secrets of the flora and fauna in this habitat. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XPhE_KvXzV3GhcYvyKlJZCrIQEe8rmg8MMAkn-FunPpWBq9LU_GdZ-BRz8-QWyOwcu7D8IdOf7XfHN00ygK2UHnB6OsojZB8keSVQppIadY9eCek-ZxLFcMeei-kRWZFIVxH7upas2mM/s1600/brown+watersnake-7519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XPhE_KvXzV3GhcYvyKlJZCrIQEe8rmg8MMAkn-FunPpWBq9LU_GdZ-BRz8-QWyOwcu7D8IdOf7XfHN00ygK2UHnB6OsojZB8keSVQppIadY9eCek-ZxLFcMeei-kRWZFIVxH7upas2mM/s640/brown+watersnake-7519.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Watersnake -- non-venomous -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Wine and Warblers -- Francis Beidler Audubon Swamp -- April 18, 2015</span></td></tr>
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Yes, you may see all kinds of critters -- snakes, turkey, deer! But you are safe up on the boardwalk from the wilds of the swamp. <br />
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A variety of migrating warblers are flying up our coasts going to their nesting grounds and we have the possibility of seeing some of them. The swamp is an ideal stopover place on the routes north. But I kid you not -- the favorite of the evening for all -- is our own local, bold Golden Boy songbird -- the Prothonotary Warbler!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0ERG0uCpcfuTVAJrHBS1itbQqql97rFZxX7E3dyW47c9KDGr4jr4AedwpwjxkdIvQpEKhuuuClhUV79Ft-W25Ww8QPsrN8X5Qm7UjdG_GY7bOo6aISgqqcvWwlekhq5qS3sLBqq7O_Ov/s1600/prow-7514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0ERG0uCpcfuTVAJrHBS1itbQqql97rFZxX7E3dyW47c9KDGr4jr4AedwpwjxkdIvQpEKhuuuClhUV79Ft-W25Ww8QPsrN8X5Qm7UjdG_GY7bOo6aISgqqcvWwlekhq5qS3sLBqq7O_Ov/s640/prow-7514.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prothonotary Warbler -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> Star of the show at Wine and Warblers -- Francis Beidler Audubon Swamp -- April 18, 2015</span></td></tr>
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I understand that there are still spots available for this year's event which also includes a silent auction of fabulous items for any nature lover! So reserve <a href="http://beidlerforest.audubon.org/events/wine-warblers" target="_blank">your spot</a> before they fill up. All the proceeds go to preserve the swamp habitat and the programs of SC Audubon. Your belly and soul will both be sated with the bounty of hors-d'oeuvres made by talented chefs and and the beautiful visual feast provided by nature. And of course you will be serenaded by the Star of the Show -- the handsome Prothonotary! Come enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdrWTwhxxd7aD76W4qD9n2XKlMfS1zyg7QeSsYEqGQmIQ-PtgTy5zd-ZScFW_8d-9a8d0k2gQVDwVHQ4WznaMnoYlTsYmAnFOqO7Ii5qthtTEmK3Bm1VBNh6ZefTxct9Wnm9sDMCGr-2H/s1600/prow-7532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdrWTwhxxd7aD76W4qD9n2XKlMfS1zyg7QeSsYEqGQmIQ-PtgTy5zd-ZScFW_8d-9a8d0k2gQVDwVHQ4WznaMnoYlTsYmAnFOqO7Ii5qthtTEmK3Bm1VBNh6ZefTxct9Wnm9sDMCGr-2H/s640/prow-7532.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Prothonotary with nesting material -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Wine and Warblers -- Francis Beidler Audubon Swamp -- April 18, 2015</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJS5dPqz55ufQT0eILww6mZd3H9nGdDnaJyJSfDXqAhNBovNK3bKYS0KgMEmJMftC-Z5whd4oQ8ex2A56tQ0GWaeAPqOL9UJiFukuxWkKGemjq8yZO8wyVKf77TKOQpQCIhFlmVBEi-dif/s1600/prow-7563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJS5dPqz55ufQT0eILww6mZd3H9nGdDnaJyJSfDXqAhNBovNK3bKYS0KgMEmJMftC-Z5whd4oQ8ex2A56tQ0GWaeAPqOL9UJiFukuxWkKGemjq8yZO8wyVKf77TKOQpQCIhFlmVBEi-dif/s640/prow-7563.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Prothonotary in nesting cavity -- <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Wine and Warblers -- Francis Beidler Audubon Swamp -- April 18, 2015</span></td></tr>
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-45981028543153394812015-12-16T06:23:00.000-05:002015-12-16T06:23:20.494-05:00Pluff Mud Perspectives' On-line Store Now Open!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CnB5UrHBTgFz5cJ8SKD9pYrIaqtV7P4ypuSc5p_uiVL42zhGjRUipEVhlgs2r4j2pR7B5FPGwpmq6iiQ6ktfCw4DXd19KJ5Jnsm-9cq_pOtsnB5hrondf_tFY0zY9oBOj5UKQ8riqaYX/s1600/calendars-9581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CnB5UrHBTgFz5cJ8SKD9pYrIaqtV7P4ypuSc5p_uiVL42zhGjRUipEVhlgs2r4j2pR7B5FPGwpmq6iiQ6ktfCw4DXd19KJ5Jnsm-9cq_pOtsnB5hrondf_tFY0zY9oBOj5UKQ8riqaYX/s640/calendars-9581.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2016 calendars for sale -- Pluff Mud Perspectives and Southern Currents</td></tr>
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For all of you last minute shoppers, here are some last minute options! Pluff Mud Perspectives has now opened an <a href="https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Shop/pluffmudperspectivesonlinestore" target="_blank">on-line store</a> presently selling 2016 calendars -- wall and desktop options -- and mugs! I have designed all of the products and the merchandise is produced by <a href="http://createphotocalendars.com/">createphotocalendars.com</a>, And currently, all proceeds from these sales will be donated to the <a href="http://www.charlestonaudubon.org/" target="_blank">Charleston Natural History Society, aka. Charleston Audubon.</a> Thus far, the products include calendars and a couple of mugs. One of the mugs offered has a photo of Brown Pelican chicks (taken from a safe distance from my brother's boat) on Crab Bank in Charleston Harbor.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfRCKZ_C_dz-LFNKM1wgH5DCIvXOgq7mmSSVqlvk7IzYMG1tm_CrGPesWlwqaTlFAFFOQGQQsuEoWwlsNZY41hm672utUU4JHwvzYcr0ZLPKsPyOKfE-kPJHFfLbyIkEY0Yc16vn6LSaE/s1600/brpe-9933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfRCKZ_C_dz-LFNKM1wgH5DCIvXOgq7mmSSVqlvk7IzYMG1tm_CrGPesWlwqaTlFAFFOQGQQsuEoWwlsNZY41hm672utUU4JHwvzYcr0ZLPKsPyOKfE-kPJHFfLbyIkEY0Yc16vn6LSaE/s640/brpe-9933.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Pelican chicks on crèche at Crab Bank, Charleston Harbor, July 5, 2015</td></tr>
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Another mug features the new logo that you see above in the banner at the top of this page! I created the logo from the following photo. The banner is still a work in progress but the logo is set. Here's the photo of the Lesser Yellowlegs from which the graphic was derived.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iFnJzeYBo-VA2XC-VBmgXmvsMuJERI3CfXllAzFAgRxzvFhw-Mybrnm3-roYoD6lpi63UsI5CTqIiauKNdZdmIpx_eO2PBwRa8tSsI-Q76XpVvkYNCkGAmd_f0dyNvrTd2vjq6UdkTQw/s1600/leye-5793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iFnJzeYBo-VA2XC-VBmgXmvsMuJERI3CfXllAzFAgRxzvFhw-Mybrnm3-roYoD6lpi63UsI5CTqIiauKNdZdmIpx_eO2PBwRa8tSsI-Q76XpVvkYNCkGAmd_f0dyNvrTd2vjq6UdkTQw/s1600/leye-5793.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lesser Yellowlegs -- Bear Island WMA -- March 8, 2015</td></tr>
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Do you have a favorite photo from the blog? I may be able, depending upon the photo, create for you a t-shirt, hoodie, poster, mug, or tote-bag with that photo. Just send your special request to Cathy at <a href="mailto:pluffmudperspectives@gmail.com">pluffmudperspectives@gmail.com</a>. Again, at this time and for the foreseeable future, all proceeds will be donated to Charleston Audubon. <br />
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So check out the new <a href="https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Shop/pluffmudperspectivesonlinestore" target="_blank">Pluff Mud Perspectives Online Store</a>! You just may find that perfect gift for yourself or for someone else! <br />
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-51787081898909576182015-10-10T22:13:00.001-04:002015-10-10T22:13:16.176-04:00After the Deluge -- Folly Beach Fallout! -- October 6, 2015<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xaaebbtyiX7m9WLjUCA6iTcw3W-q23F8bevedQdi_N1hsHmRY7t1XF88lsL8tIVOdmAcdAjAncFElipVEx6E6GASGcPKItyDMJD-PG55HMH1rhU7Eg6xACFwN-LjAKwzUSfzBoa5NPkf/s1600/yewa-3181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xaaebbtyiX7m9WLjUCA6iTcw3W-q23F8bevedQdi_N1hsHmRY7t1XF88lsL8tIVOdmAcdAjAncFElipVEx6E6GASGcPKItyDMJD-PG55HMH1rhU7Eg6xACFwN-LjAKwzUSfzBoa5NPkf/s1600/yewa-3181.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Warbler -- the first bird encountered at the Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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Apparently, after the deluge last weekend which dumped trillions of gallons of rain on our state, we experienced a "deluge" of another kind -- a fallout of migrating birds! The rain ended thankfully, but due to the effects of the flooding, I was off from work Monday and Tuesday. Feeling the effects of cabin fever, I made my escape Tuesday out to Folly Beach's east end -- the Heritage Lighthouse Preserve. Carl and I had tried to get there Sunday but the roads were impassable. The radar, Tuesday morning, showed significant bird activity early in the morning. I had also heard multiple chip notes at 5:30 am. This is something that is not usually perceived at my house due to traffic noises. But with enough birds and very little traffic, I heard plenty and was quite hopeful for a bounty of birds.<br />
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Indeed, I was dumbfounded by the quantity of birds be-bopping around, foraging in the wooded & brushy edges of the entrance road to the preserve. I came to a relative standstill, entranced, as I birded a 50 yard stretch along this entrance road, back and forth, for more than 3 hours! The warblers were constantly popping into view everywhere in all directions. Thankfully, another pair of birders, a delightful couple from Rock Hill -- Tom and Raquel, came along and joined me. With three pairs of eyes to look in different directions, we were all able to see and identify even more birds! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVa_47lUfCsT-wJeRWLBMjt7SouncmVWHwlnckNzYWJTUuoAfyZ6vO1cDf3CWb6yBdqqjDh7_Tq8Lix_vI5N4FcSHOXVJla-9v8td6TjFS_qvg5sAmidtxIgBggx_2AbqJdmMHsHZAXb8/s1600/amre-3226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVa_47lUfCsT-wJeRWLBMjt7SouncmVWHwlnckNzYWJTUuoAfyZ6vO1cDf3CWb6yBdqqjDh7_Tq8Lix_vI5N4FcSHOXVJla-9v8td6TjFS_qvg5sAmidtxIgBggx_2AbqJdmMHsHZAXb8/s1600/amre-3226.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Redstart -- the 2nd bird of the day! -- likely a hatch-year male -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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Blown away by the density of the birds, I texted my friend, Aaron Given, master bird bander, at the <a href="http://kiawahislandbanding.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kiawah Island Banding Station (KIBS)</a>. I was curious as to what they were experiencing on Captain Sam's Spit. I also wanted to let my friend Chris Snook, also a master bird bander, who is helping Aaron at KIBS and who used to band birds at this site on Folly, what I was seeing. Aaron texted back (at 11 am) to say that they were experiencing a record-smashing day and he estimated that they would band more than 300 birds! But I am not going to steal their thunder. You should read about the final "EPIC" tally of the day at KIBS <a href="http://kiawahislandbanding.blogspot.com/2015_10_06_archive.html" target="_blank">here on their blog</a>. Pretty darn amazing! Yes, I think this can be called a fallout! <br />
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So how is a fallout defined? I found this definition on the <a href="http://birding.about.com/od/birdingbasics/fl/Bird-Fallouts.htm" target="_blank">About Birding</a> website:<br />
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<i><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Definition: </b></span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: #a64d79;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">A <a data-component="link" data-ordinal="1" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://birding.about.com/od/Bird-Glossary-E-G/g/Fallout.htm">fallout</a>
is an extraordinary event when birds literally "fall out" of the sky in
unusually high numbers and in extreme diversity. Fallouts most
typically happen during <a data-component="link" data-ordinal="2" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://birding.about.com/od/birdingglossary/g/migration.htm">migration</a>
when large number of birds are already on the move, and are often
caused by a combination of unique geography and difficult weather that
concentrates birds into a small, specific area, where birders can then
enjoy the spectacle. </span> </span></span></i><br />
<i><br /><span style="color: #a64d79;">The birds then <a data-component="link" data-ordinal="2" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://birding.about.com/od/Bird-Glossary-E-G/g/Forage.htm">forage</a>
frantically at the earliest opportunity to replenish their energy, and
they may remain in the area for just a few hours or for a few days,
depending on the location and the severity of the weather that caused
the fallout.</span></i><br />
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Basically birds pile up because conditions are not suitable for them to fly. My husband challenged me when I described my birding experience last Tuesday as a fallout. I will agree that my experience was not of the proportions as we have seen in photos such as <a href="http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054459" target="_blank">these documenting a fallout on Machias Seal Island in the Gulf of Maine</a> taken by Ralph Eldridge. Nonetheless, I stick by my premise that this was a fallout.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6a9nfFnwjfckUIepF9xnHhVEpOGejFxGPrB3lyotAPqht9H435e987VDZ74FKdWRjN4EhmjuhoJdnZZWvvGF90H-yZRF5nAEKOOc97rWstsu4iv-ER5DVHzkyyjNdS5O49LUWuW9v5Ln/s1600/yewa-3215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6a9nfFnwjfckUIepF9xnHhVEpOGejFxGPrB3lyotAPqht9H435e987VDZ74FKdWRjN4EhmjuhoJdnZZWvvGF90H-yZRF5nAEKOOc97rWstsu4iv-ER5DVHzkyyjNdS5O49LUWuW9v5Ln/s1600/yewa-3215.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another look at my first warbler of the day -- Yellow Warbler -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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So how did I fare bird-wise? I tallied 13 warbler species as well as a few other special migrants! I cannot recall ever seeing 13 warbler species in one day -- except maybe when I have helped out at KIBS. And I managed to photograph 10 of the 13 species! And so, I present to you my photo collection from the day with the warblers first.<br />
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The numerous American Redstarts fascinated us by fanning tails their tails and by chasing flying insects. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzm12wCjYnxeEaxq9ET_3pm3RcZuVXUaJkSNakKLqwiq8_eCM0a6TO6Crr3YmWwg5G6Wx_PKjBMqg3PhvioS0pXa418IoFTSoJcVKVe63Yqap52hkUrRZSJdDRH4DHPshiE7NlxN2k3KWC/s1600/amre-3374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzm12wCjYnxeEaxq9ET_3pm3RcZuVXUaJkSNakKLqwiq8_eCM0a6TO6Crr3YmWwg5G6Wx_PKjBMqg3PhvioS0pXa418IoFTSoJcVKVe63Yqap52hkUrRZSJdDRH4DHPshiE7NlxN2k3KWC/s1600/amre-3374.JPG" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RtMd8FIPmJBiwqWyHkM4y6gh9XRiwqT_9lfF-KUNlDsCOFFnPIlukTgNXDKRbq9AU7IHc9uPni1ueojhGdKCeuhrr066humzPleXwzHhsdCYrz7KZcRK0iNJRFR_qmuX5LAAev1Qlhb9/s1600/amre-3399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RtMd8FIPmJBiwqWyHkM4y6gh9XRiwqT_9lfF-KUNlDsCOFFnPIlukTgNXDKRbq9AU7IHc9uPni1ueojhGdKCeuhrr066humzPleXwzHhsdCYrz7KZcRK0iNJRFR_qmuX5LAAev1Qlhb9/s400/amre-3399.JPG" width="392" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Redstarts -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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The many Common Yellowthroats were skulking down low in the brambles occasionally coming up to check out my phishing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_qd_HrzYdI4B25GLMPYyf_MXi9ujZYj12kVl5SkgtXE7vYROOjZVTbZsc2dovT2J5_ptpEF_kj9MDrdgUcwX4i-OxqawxZF8grZfidprEfjH7lYJtUTu-tNyKgcspjVzrtJwj38AYbsK/s1600/coye-3529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_qd_HrzYdI4B25GLMPYyf_MXi9ujZYj12kVl5SkgtXE7vYROOjZVTbZsc2dovT2J5_ptpEF_kj9MDrdgUcwX4i-OxqawxZF8grZfidprEfjH7lYJtUTu-tNyKgcspjVzrtJwj38AYbsK/s1600/coye-3529.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Yellowthroats -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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I always enjoy watching the Black-and-white Warblers. I enjoyed watching a pair of them hunt for food together following each other on the same trunk.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-BgjgnnjJZyFUOl5LYeSIqwcRkS0ATIx-qCoFRzCaWJvrraALyLqAzg8BDg5M1S0k_C30bEslf6I9IMo0NJgWIliv3oSSgDWOUkze3zK-BZAmm_kQnxKDkMu5t6FTZucqwadyytEJcwF/s1600/baww-3344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-BgjgnnjJZyFUOl5LYeSIqwcRkS0ATIx-qCoFRzCaWJvrraALyLqAzg8BDg5M1S0k_C30bEslf6I9IMo0NJgWIliv3oSSgDWOUkze3zK-BZAmm_kQnxKDkMu5t6FTZucqwadyytEJcwF/s400/baww-3344.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-and-White Warblers -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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I was thrilled to sight a Chestnut-sided Warbler. It is rare that I get to see them in their winter plumage and I am always amazed at how different they are in appearance -- gone all of the bright chestnut and yellow markings! It doesn't even look like the same species.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbDsuy_O_tu-AwPXQi2vZbH9GzzC5rSqvBxvQDFDDjT2kninu4sU0U9506OEVdoNaMKcwiR2B0zo09YyWVAtsjNaFnjF9rLF2mKuehicPxAuTllTlyc-eeFB_ZkwihgEoUjr3gVzWwPjb/s1600/cswa-3298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbDsuy_O_tu-AwPXQi2vZbH9GzzC5rSqvBxvQDFDDjT2kninu4sU0U9506OEVdoNaMKcwiR2B0zo09YyWVAtsjNaFnjF9rLF2mKuehicPxAuTllTlyc-eeFB_ZkwihgEoUjr3gVzWwPjb/s640/cswa-3298.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chestnut-sided Warbler -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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This Cape May Warbler posed most cooperatively! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qo_3re_2rC0Uei0dWg7_6ecdA5Oc-84-bbZQANxEjzK7mRSvgsPqgXC_E1smf78zSeZ9gzz4JwQSzjJ9QfVG0zjbqvK1FadRYit9-Ei0IyQybZjpIK8GxfDfQPyCuhNwjFxVa99qLB4a/s1600/cmwa-3511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qo_3re_2rC0Uei0dWg7_6ecdA5Oc-84-bbZQANxEjzK7mRSvgsPqgXC_E1smf78zSeZ9gzz4JwQSzjJ9QfVG0zjbqvK1FadRYit9-Ei0IyQybZjpIK8GxfDfQPyCuhNwjFxVa99qLB4a/s640/cmwa-3511.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeOHYFajrSsP0kOfkCwCZ0Ngw6OGbg2TL9u1b-s2iuI_bvxq2nhQR2c-cJHb_DvPXXxW8VGn8eX6PsVP9Iysg0He0bgxYtM6o9HwRz1DseXXwv8WqFFyzptbWVRU_sJ8vldO2POyimcsL/s1600/cmwa-3517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeOHYFajrSsP0kOfkCwCZ0Ngw6OGbg2TL9u1b-s2iuI_bvxq2nhQR2c-cJHb_DvPXXxW8VGn8eX6PsVP9Iysg0He0bgxYtM6o9HwRz1DseXXwv8WqFFyzptbWVRU_sJ8vldO2POyimcsL/s640/cmwa-3517.JPG" width="494" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape May Warbler -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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Northern Parulas were not in short supply.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2H7gngsPWGACBa-x7MSdLWmPe5kDqn5vz_1EF1OiG96Zpx4qTUzESTMYMjWAb5w_Ntt8U1P-kUt9YhMKMyyNUxTJ6ta7ACtJzk6TOCEew3JDY1iqOJWMmzminjyVahM_oRTuuodRajny/s1600/nopa-3278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2H7gngsPWGACBa-x7MSdLWmPe5kDqn5vz_1EF1OiG96Zpx4qTUzESTMYMjWAb5w_Ntt8U1P-kUt9YhMKMyyNUxTJ6ta7ACtJzk6TOCEew3JDY1iqOJWMmzminjyVahM_oRTuuodRajny/s400/nopa-3278.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Parula -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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Prairie Warblers were everywhere also. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prairie Warbler (female) -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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One of my favorite birds to watch was this Magnolia Warbler! They also change quite a bit from breeding to basic plumage and yet, they are still quite boldly marked! I just love that tail!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magnolia Warbler -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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Finally, my thirteenth warbler of the day, I spotted on my way out of the preserve -- a Tennessee Warbler!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tennessee Warbler -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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The three warbler species that I saw but was unable to photograph were the Palm Warbler (Western), an Ovenbird, and three Black-throated Blue Warblers! <br />
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Another favorite migrant was this Scarlet Tanager who had nearly completely molted into his Fall plumage. He still retained though a trace of his scarlet feathers which were most notable when he flew.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scarlet Tanager -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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A number of Red-eyed vireos showed themselves and a couple of White-eyed vireos also made their presence known.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-eyed vireo -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-eyed vireo -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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We did manage to tear ourselves away from warbler city to go to the beach. There was not much beach available though since it was high tide by the time we got there. On our way, we were treated to some flyovers by a couple of merlins and we also watched a Peregrine attack a Red-tailed Hawk! Then we found about 40 Semi-palmated Plovers resting in the wrack on the beach.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Semi-palmated plovers -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- October 6, 2015</td></tr>
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What a thrilling experience! And how great it was to meet 2 fellow birders -- Tom and Raquel from Rock Hill -- and to share these jewels (my nickname for warblers) with them. Thank you Tom and Raquel! I hope to see more birds with you out in the field somewhere again soon. This is one of those birding occasions that I am not likely to forget anytime soon -- our Folly Beach Fallout! <br />
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Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-32024689403298602712015-09-27T11:06:00.000-04:002015-09-27T11:06:13.578-04:00Wave-Hopping Bonaparte's Gulls and more .... from January 2015<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cKOo5P2hv2lGkqEBRyGpEUOXRUHA6HbLGsNs7_ggGr6T8DhWs50zMr-dg4gFBI-6ZYjJcGPg4SoR4F6L2puqJBGocsbd47xQqk_nzNmFg0NMCc6f3luOAguyHwJmp0ok-eG3z6275pcl/s1600/bogu-4482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cKOo5P2hv2lGkqEBRyGpEUOXRUHA6HbLGsNs7_ggGr6T8DhWs50zMr-dg4gFBI-6ZYjJcGPg4SoR4F6L2puqJBGocsbd47xQqk_nzNmFg0NMCc6f3luOAguyHwJmp0ok-eG3z6275pcl/s640/bogu-4482.JPG" width="526" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaparte's Gulls -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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Yes, way back when, in January of this year, during a fabulous trip to <a href="http://southcarolinaparks.com/huntingtonbeach/introduction.aspx" target="_blank">Huntington Beach State Park</a>, I observed and photographed some Bonaparte's Gulls wave-hopping as they were feeding -- just making little "bunny" hops over the low waves close to shore. This is one of many feeding techniques, according to <a href="http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/" target="_blank">Birds of North America</a>, in which this species engages. It looks like fun when you think of how, as kids, we liked to run and jump over waves, too! I know that I certainly had fun watching and photographing the birds in action.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaparte's Gulls -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaparte's Gulls -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaparte's Gulls -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChfVzJhy5Na_L8JBQqiu9LSDWsPsLm5_Vh7VaoEkJ2Yjd5xpDr5UT9Chq6CjPDlyRu5Ric2aUnM6M97JksBjYDIEercNlEsdO6Z8vBz6CKX7ocD9I82MXJRA5HHn7HncipK722ciVLIOI/s1600/bogu-4468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChfVzJhy5Na_L8JBQqiu9LSDWsPsLm5_Vh7VaoEkJ2Yjd5xpDr5UT9Chq6CjPDlyRu5Ric2aUnM6M97JksBjYDIEercNlEsdO6Z8vBz6CKX7ocD9I82MXJRA5HHn7HncipK722ciVLIOI/s640/bogu-4468.JPG" width="586" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaparte's Gulls -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylHzlx-yfK2OvXzlT_Ler1_rshnjuJD3NHj2R5TJC8SN4trmiUkrpDoyG1NAmS1e_31Cc6n6TWmKm-f1BOXWZ1t1zAdSLj7HPw5ZK1od62pK9mj0M_oq0atMKjnJ805TTYddLjeHPE-tG/s1600/bogu-4473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylHzlx-yfK2OvXzlT_Ler1_rshnjuJD3NHj2R5TJC8SN4trmiUkrpDoyG1NAmS1e_31Cc6n6TWmKm-f1BOXWZ1t1zAdSLj7HPw5ZK1od62pK9mj0M_oq0atMKjnJ805TTYddLjeHPE-tG/s640/bogu-4473.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaparte's Gulls -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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Of course, we did not go the Huntington Beach State Park just to see Bonaparte's Gulls bunny-hopping over waves. And, it goes without saying that any trip to this park for birding is fabulous. It is the premier hotspot for South Carolina! Since it often hosts some winter rarities, it makes for a great destination in January when you are trying to build your New Year's list. This is exactly what Pam Ford, Aija Konrad and I were thinking that weekend back in January. Carl and Ed Konrad joined us as well. And indeed, we garnered 75 species for the day! The photos below show some of the species we found.<br />
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First, we had a beautiful flyover of White Ibis at daybreak.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrpEYRCZD45LPQBiePwtD_9k6YVeuwrCF6rLgY9iNNgHVxZjBsYTeA21F88nQQsIKPsoDV_7rtuyWYKCQEBaxSTMkQrPI9EwpPZ-Pn8t_J1__ceIcrMXZIwUQu47A13l11Z243f-dhxVi/s1600/whib-4082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrpEYRCZD45LPQBiePwtD_9k6YVeuwrCF6rLgY9iNNgHVxZjBsYTeA21F88nQQsIKPsoDV_7rtuyWYKCQEBaxSTMkQrPI9EwpPZ-Pn8t_J1__ceIcrMXZIwUQu47A13l11Z243f-dhxVi/s640/whib-4082.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Ibis -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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Then, having recently learned a bill-tip clue for identifying Lesser Scaup (vs. Greater Scaup). I took the opportunity to photograph at close range these calm Lessers. The dark "nail" tip marking on the Lesser's bill is skinny whereas it is quite wide on the Greater.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJ8DacmL86R_K4aj52J7GbGSpVYPw9Kb00jX08rWyhO4bonOQsJkchzY01JpoSTGm5Mtr1vHXttODhLuGzbbBpTj7PO10Xn446Loo6xPS65gjtaNd9flgWzBqcBiZvNXmmDpUw-ZCx_iX/s1600/lesc-4088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJ8DacmL86R_K4aj52J7GbGSpVYPw9Kb00jX08rWyhO4bonOQsJkchzY01JpoSTGm5Mtr1vHXttODhLuGzbbBpTj7PO10Xn446Loo6xPS65gjtaNd9flgWzBqcBiZvNXmmDpUw-ZCx_iX/s640/lesc-4088.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lesser Scaup -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHRIiMw2RfO1738TIzLGb4VK3tVKkAn4qYHmefokiErKDeD98b-IPEcNZpYzjcfGx5Da5vOGJxLouTYw5GHW8CEf2CAoI29excydS7OK8-TS1my2u8r2Rz8hyphenhyphenEOQZwZ3tcb8sxdgBR1DF/s1600/lesc-4090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHRIiMw2RfO1738TIzLGb4VK3tVKkAn4qYHmefokiErKDeD98b-IPEcNZpYzjcfGx5Da5vOGJxLouTYw5GHW8CEf2CAoI29excydS7OK8-TS1my2u8r2Rz8hyphenhyphenEOQZwZ3tcb8sxdgBR1DF/s640/lesc-4090.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lesser Scaup -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3c06b8BTRVpjivPjXrjiWcqeTMs1NB1VKkHN5MTU-I888cRwnthFHeSDmtxNfhPgDnoULNiJyQ-WRJATb1zBpPAkBGzn0qw2YLnNIYOGkLIh2WVEeh0lEXgo2GnXETS07x4VqwyPoW7b1/s1600/lesc-4103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3c06b8BTRVpjivPjXrjiWcqeTMs1NB1VKkHN5MTU-I888cRwnthFHeSDmtxNfhPgDnoULNiJyQ-WRJATb1zBpPAkBGzn0qw2YLnNIYOGkLIh2WVEeh0lEXgo2GnXETS07x4VqwyPoW7b1/s640/lesc-4103.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lesser Scaup -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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Pied-billed Grebes are so darn cute -- I cannot resist photographing them.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyW5NSOc1f8I0BHvHNe3W28Ma3UFmaPS3zTDnQyi82P51XaprKMvNUaUlc_Q7xmVCefviw2gHGaHGw544L2ZkLycXfexzhmlasZOVUnA-COu7DuP_DQaIxolSa6fTExbW_0mIxLtGxBPK/s1600/pbgr-4099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyW5NSOc1f8I0BHvHNe3W28Ma3UFmaPS3zTDnQyi82P51XaprKMvNUaUlc_Q7xmVCefviw2gHGaHGw544L2ZkLycXfexzhmlasZOVUnA-COu7DuP_DQaIxolSa6fTExbW_0mIxLtGxBPK/s640/pbgr-4099.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pied-billed Grebe -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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In the early morning light, we were quite delighted to find a female Common Goldeneye -- not often found in South Carolina! She was rather distant and this was the best shot that I could manage.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxXjUCjL8N9I-JG6Up3gDnmGjl4KIB24kbWUZTGiGFTyyYT0yEKs8wnV4ypcIjcTJz03Pmkz0OCWFqz6EfKzu5npfBN85U3qtEJ584m8VIeHLvxq6O5ltgzksBKduBNB_8AFObaXsEREk/s1600/cogo-4167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxXjUCjL8N9I-JG6Up3gDnmGjl4KIB24kbWUZTGiGFTyyYT0yEKs8wnV4ypcIjcTJz03Pmkz0OCWFqz6EfKzu5npfBN85U3qtEJ584m8VIeHLvxq6O5ltgzksBKduBNB_8AFObaXsEREk/s400/cogo-4167.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Goldeneye -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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On that cold morning, a group of Ruddy Ducks were in no hurry to greet the warming rays of the day.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtWK-cHr2JG9gK7gnSd-59QsxRfbOkfa02NkxLNCmCydCnZolLr3vtjCGUqLbY2Rv1VE7cT0zRp6ZDNbSw_nVd2P-Hw6bF3i6o907gKQ6bnZcQOpXWNXR_gwKPC06ctEi4ME2J4cyunsy/s1600/rudu-4109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtWK-cHr2JG9gK7gnSd-59QsxRfbOkfa02NkxLNCmCydCnZolLr3vtjCGUqLbY2Rv1VE7cT0zRp6ZDNbSw_nVd2P-Hw6bF3i6o907gKQ6bnZcQOpXWNXR_gwKPC06ctEi4ME2J4cyunsy/s640/rudu-4109.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruddy Ducks -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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Walking along the beach to the North Jetty, we spotted this Peregrine Falcon!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdqJGVlzt8rrTHfjpKnAKb5gRwIr362WmEDEQahq84zzf5ES6ZOvp6njJTO5lD7yesZ_aUL2jX8vYZWQwSoHUkTA9oc8UEtIxbMSeLs4mpHnnrpR0vJ3CH2fvIaLHaMAH8tCd9nDfTmiw/s1600/pefa-4200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdqJGVlzt8rrTHfjpKnAKb5gRwIr362WmEDEQahq84zzf5ES6ZOvp6njJTO5lD7yesZ_aUL2jX8vYZWQwSoHUkTA9oc8UEtIxbMSeLs4mpHnnrpR0vJ3CH2fvIaLHaMAH8tCd9nDfTmiw/s400/pefa-4200.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peregrine Falcon -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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On the jetty, we found the very rare Ipswich subspecies of the rather common Savannah Sparrow. Knowing that birds return to the same place year after year, we assume that this is the same individual as last year's Ipswich.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8fha6zUaQ5pWXu4IAtNRMEuq65kQA8XbD_Wmmu8Z30cH5AaT_OBtPWGeEOf5b5UNQTUEohYWVWbd6CrA7K5VdwnnfKVSsR6WOfYtJ5upKeypjHC1DcsFCJvmIcQE0_GJtVSqE8fhgGPv4/s1600/ipswich-4207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8fha6zUaQ5pWXu4IAtNRMEuq65kQA8XbD_Wmmu8Z30cH5AaT_OBtPWGeEOf5b5UNQTUEohYWVWbd6CrA7K5VdwnnfKVSsR6WOfYtJ5upKeypjHC1DcsFCJvmIcQE0_GJtVSqE8fhgGPv4/s640/ipswich-4207.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ipswich subspecies of Savannah Sparrow -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGfrj66sBdIc2JZCWoyItJbJ_vy0GoQN-Z_uNYv2seg2IOFwFBEl39R0aB42-Ox-B7WVHQhEosK0PSo5ANQHBVVKckmITrCC8OPSsvesP5E1-E0kTvvrwez7d7jcegLtCp8am-kadeOYB/s1600/savs_ipswich-1399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGfrj66sBdIc2JZCWoyItJbJ_vy0GoQN-Z_uNYv2seg2IOFwFBEl39R0aB42-Ox-B7WVHQhEosK0PSo5ANQHBVVKckmITrCC8OPSsvesP5E1-E0kTvvrwez7d7jcegLtCp8am-kadeOYB/s640/savs_ipswich-1399.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Ipswich sub-species of the Savannah Sparrow -- Huntington Beach State Park -- <span style="color: magenta;">February 16, 2014</span></td></tr>
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One of our target species for the jetty was the Long-tailed Duck! We found 2 of them. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcnc8XxxUItqkwH0IhrIenzB9uCVhIZGEcrH9VIpokteltNt7o_JvOBRj4K5txBjHdJh7uOz-P6BEsvbAhjXzVbecM8_HNHaqHJepDFzG3SP_rfN_fgvUdgQAtKqghlWVQSmjORNGAP31/s1600/ltdu-4255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcnc8XxxUItqkwH0IhrIenzB9uCVhIZGEcrH9VIpokteltNt7o_JvOBRj4K5txBjHdJh7uOz-P6BEsvbAhjXzVbecM8_HNHaqHJepDFzG3SP_rfN_fgvUdgQAtKqghlWVQSmjORNGAP31/s640/ltdu-4255.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long-tailed Duck (male) -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3K7Z33mcTYk0QBPCUqwMDoTKL9oFwXFBDkTWRkUWEXEt2z68CnTcyoGx2X01dcRCgGG-DF9kQd5aCNdr4DF9gm1MaFeS1TlBu_Y03stpCGf3HgNPf4qdYgiQIgKFtWQSDuqbXmQjWJs9L/s1600/ltdu-4277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3K7Z33mcTYk0QBPCUqwMDoTKL9oFwXFBDkTWRkUWEXEt2z68CnTcyoGx2X01dcRCgGG-DF9kQd5aCNdr4DF9gm1MaFeS1TlBu_Y03stpCGf3HgNPf4qdYgiQIgKFtWQSDuqbXmQjWJs9L/s640/ltdu-4277.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long-tailed Duck (female) -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9Gzsy7P4Uk62rdbFafk7u2D9bxem_QEov6UJFK9r03Z2oB2SMPZDaYUG-xHMH3idqfgRdrGHkJ54UPP76gU48TdzEFdNSMBpoz53dBPS0MCak7koNg8MsEERdFPWfWl6l2yOohWjRT86/s1600/ltdu-4321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9Gzsy7P4Uk62rdbFafk7u2D9bxem_QEov6UJFK9r03Z2oB2SMPZDaYUG-xHMH3idqfgRdrGHkJ54UPP76gU48TdzEFdNSMBpoz53dBPS0MCak7koNg8MsEERdFPWfWl6l2yOohWjRT86/s640/ltdu-4321.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long-tailed Duck (male) -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Though we have no photos to share, I were able to find through the scope the adult male Common Eider in his gloriously beautiful plumage! Sadly, he was too distant for my long lens. <br />
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For awhile, we debated the identity of this immature scoter who was hanging out in the inlet.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BDXOCETtyoEYGgAdGrBowsHKMdUDdfR8s5OEGBCBi1VaQ0Dp_ebJjX3lbb-1FU0xGgJ6iF-huAxFqiJp8I8GO7MJGpsd5kOha7pKfCHznNuKH_Seh-qS1qM0V7ltcs-hD5BBmSYQM7tD/s1600/wwsc-4386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BDXOCETtyoEYGgAdGrBowsHKMdUDdfR8s5OEGBCBi1VaQ0Dp_ebJjX3lbb-1FU0xGgJ6iF-huAxFqiJp8I8GO7MJGpsd5kOha7pKfCHznNuKH_Seh-qS1qM0V7ltcs-hD5BBmSYQM7tD/s640/wwsc-4386.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-winged Scoter -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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He finally gave us a brief glimpse of the white feathers in his wings so that we could ID him as a White-winged Scoter.<br />
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Heads tucked in for a snooze, we found this mix of shorebirds down the inlet -- Willets, Red Knots, Short-billed Dowitchers. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGiaN5gU3VtDpuyDuBf_F8jetnDtG_XD1WZpGEcY1rXp8lxpwcOQFtUXi9y09AqXhlxB2eoakMTQbRTFDjyASnXIQaCalAUBZDCxUt8QyL9bVmjEZxUippUDG2MbVADIXGrfv75_VA8YHQ/s1600/sbdo_rekn_will-4428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGiaN5gU3VtDpuyDuBf_F8jetnDtG_XD1WZpGEcY1rXp8lxpwcOQFtUXi9y09AqXhlxB2eoakMTQbRTFDjyASnXIQaCalAUBZDCxUt8QyL9bVmjEZxUippUDG2MbVADIXGrfv75_VA8YHQ/s640/sbdo_rekn_will-4428.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willets, Short-billed Dowitchers, Red Knots -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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In a quick trip to Sandpiper Pond, we found Bufflehead (not pictured) more Lesser Scaup and Ring-necked Ducks. Ring-necked ducks are similar in plumage to the Lesser Scaup but are easily distinguished by their bills. You can see in the photo below that the Ring-necked Duck has a very visible white ring around its bill.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimh-gkX0SuzbzNr22CIO_nHf4PiGKE0d2-q5ox219Yrlz6hKgUuDjJLLrnj3PFOVvIgt1nrVPaPO1nC4nqydnwXFCHki2W3YfEgK2sraA1k4SqCXf6OurkVEDu308MFzAHRE03DSaQEWco/s1600/rndu_lesc-4505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimh-gkX0SuzbzNr22CIO_nHf4PiGKE0d2-q5ox219Yrlz6hKgUuDjJLLrnj3PFOVvIgt1nrVPaPO1nC4nqydnwXFCHki2W3YfEgK2sraA1k4SqCXf6OurkVEDu308MFzAHRE03DSaQEWco/s640/rndu_lesc-4505.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ring-necked Duck and the similar Lesser Scaup -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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Finally, before leaving, while Carl napped in the car and Ed & Aija went on another excursion, Pam and I strolled the Kerrigan Nature Trail and the Carriage Way. There, we found our last great bird of the day, this delightful and relatively cooperative Black and White Warbler!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZd5cJjeCxebERTczQMV9idgrxbh60dxaSiG6XImThGfA_OarSz0hTdCJGWjsDYnwRoOLp76ulISHmU8kfgnPssdcxuzx7CfWto1AZRlNhoI4NKUEx2M_YHeFyxF_jBb-z1mpQYBEmstw/s1600/baww-4549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZd5cJjeCxebERTczQMV9idgrxbh60dxaSiG6XImThGfA_OarSz0hTdCJGWjsDYnwRoOLp76ulISHmU8kfgnPssdcxuzx7CfWto1AZRlNhoI4NKUEx2M_YHeFyxF_jBb-z1mpQYBEmstw/s640/baww-4549.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black and White Warbler -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr5jz-ZfrXK31-WqPoKm1wO33JNv5-f73geSIKzhTIblWCLNNAthio8aRRA1l6AF2ieeY0s0_6iwAIeILPqkNDOOqrKz4Nj5BwD_U5v6Z2U_qy9aSDGHtBfdpDeknujDOTL93JtHg8qO1/s1600/baww-4579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr5jz-ZfrXK31-WqPoKm1wO33JNv5-f73geSIKzhTIblWCLNNAthio8aRRA1l6AF2ieeY0s0_6iwAIeILPqkNDOOqrKz4Nj5BwD_U5v6Z2U_qy9aSDGHtBfdpDeknujDOTL93JtHg8qO1/s640/baww-4579.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black and White Warbler -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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Another great day of birding with wonderful birding buddies at Huntington Beach State Park!<br />
This place never disappoints a birder! Thank you Ed for the photo of our birding trio! I will treasure my memories of the birds seen and of the fabulous company kept that day.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCAgTSTUJKUtJuaQTSEcDm6-uLIlzO5xP-xOlZRRDeotk3wWuLzGFVvwaRV6SmY_1-75hMLN5_zK7rDrJauODgDLsWear64jYYIvhkuvK0Aw8b2sdetyYE7wBA2pZLXqeiQMAs-xO-iz0/s1600/Cathy_Aija_Pam_ph_by_Ed.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCAgTSTUJKUtJuaQTSEcDm6-uLIlzO5xP-xOlZRRDeotk3wWuLzGFVvwaRV6SmY_1-75hMLN5_zK7rDrJauODgDLsWear64jYYIvhkuvK0Aw8b2sdetyYE7wBA2pZLXqeiQMAs-xO-iz0/s640/Cathy_Aija_Pam_ph_by_Ed.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathy Miller, Aija Konrad and Pam Ford -- Huntington Beach State Park -- January 25, 2015</td></tr>
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-41182594319969222412015-09-12T09:55:00.001-04:002015-09-12T09:55:50.278-04:00Migration: Staging of the Kings! -- September 11, 2015<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkDhwVwzD895_DL2fK6yCVX9nq9VWFfa-oMYgOi4iN_nWbw_IkDus7a8roVKzCbbDXSxSoE-yVaNX5oZ808ez4xuzPJVoHmGiOob46utZaIO-IRZkrqh-NZBZXpV2EEMC-i8e9owcg0ls/s1600/Clip_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkDhwVwzD895_DL2fK6yCVX9nq9VWFfa-oMYgOi4iN_nWbw_IkDus7a8roVKzCbbDXSxSoE-yVaNX5oZ808ez4xuzPJVoHmGiOob46utZaIO-IRZkrqh-NZBZXpV2EEMC-i8e9owcg0ls/s640/Clip_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Kingbirds in Rivers Point Plantation -- Charleston, SC -- September 11, 2015</td></tr>
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Migration can bring interesting and unexpected events close to home. I was just minding my own business, fork raised to take my first bite of dinner (and I was hangry hungry) when the phone rang. It was Carl. He said, "Get your binoculars and your camera and come downstairs." He had been at the grocery store and so I assumed he had just arrived home and had seen something cool that needed documenting. Supper could wait. As I descended to the garage barefoot, I found him in his car outside of the garage. He motioned for me to get in the car. Oops --no shoes and I was being taken birding! Then he told me, "I just saw a flock of about 100 Eastern Kingbirds around the corner!" Thus, he drove me to that part of the neighbood, and yes, there they were. By the time we arrived, they were not as thickly clustered in the tops of the trees like they had been moments before. Now they were a bit more spread out. Still it was indeed a pretty cool sight!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixISZo2SV1LzpX434_8k7teZpkOSSgJkJa34aBpqqDdaGZSVs8RBJq3zjWIwaFDZvw_Rut95eYWvnedpnfZye1xZX7UTH9t6xREBnT794v49TntiVkmveyhm8Bn6YHJTViX3KA1DTnrimB/s1600/Clip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixISZo2SV1LzpX434_8k7teZpkOSSgJkJa34aBpqqDdaGZSVs8RBJq3zjWIwaFDZvw_Rut95eYWvnedpnfZye1xZX7UTH9t6xREBnT794v49TntiVkmveyhm8Bn6YHJTViX3KA1DTnrimB/s640/Clip.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Kingbirds in Rivers Point Plantation -- Charleston, SC -- September 11, 2015</td></tr>
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Though I have seen family groups of Eastern Kingbirds, I had never seen a flock before. After consulting <a href="http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna" target="_blank">Birds of North America</a>, we learned that they do migrate in large flocks along the Atlantic Seaboard. These flycatchers overwinter in South America (as far south as northern Argentina) and travel in small to moderate-sized flocks (10-60 individuals) in the Fall. Flocks may become larger (hundreds to thousands of birds) before crossing a water mass or when traveling through a narrow passage. It was also reported that they may make a stopover for several days to a week in parts of Central America to forage on fruits. It was noted that flocks are generally larger along the Atlantic coast with the largest flock reported at 500,000 individuals in Florida in 1964! It seemed that our birds were possibly staging for a flight fueling up on the berries from the hackberry (or sugarberry trees) right there in our neighborhood. <br />
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After marveling at this sight and taking a few photos, we headed home where I found my much appreciated supper! It was tastier for the wait and well worth the delay since it involved birds! Thanks to the birds and Carl editing my photos for the eBird post, I had quick content for a blog post! My work hours will not be conducive to much birding during this wonderful migration season so I am quite happy when one of these fabulous, enjoyable, quick-to-see events occurs so close to home!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjck7zAeS3bpaNpcj-vSajm9Tk0P48yPeSi_ThFhbAzxrTW5ukQZDC0f7X6kn5sMJYFllcyYfC2el2DIlWFv5MjX_-e3ZQx3-wc8MNYwn1Htc0pA5X53X4OJtp3zmCXPPZJJRMRvrTL0Haf/s1600/Clip_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjck7zAeS3bpaNpcj-vSajm9Tk0P48yPeSi_ThFhbAzxrTW5ukQZDC0f7X6kn5sMJYFllcyYfC2el2DIlWFv5MjX_-e3ZQx3-wc8MNYwn1Htc0pA5X53X4OJtp3zmCXPPZJJRMRvrTL0Haf/s640/Clip_2.jpg" width="619" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Kingbirds in Rivers Point Plantation -- Charleston, SC -- September 11, 2015</td></tr>
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<h2>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Citation:</b></span></span></h2>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span>Murphy, Michael T. 1996. Eastern Kingbird (<span class="genus">Tyrannus</span> <span class="species">tyrannus</span>),
The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab
of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: <a href="http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/253">http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/253</a><br />
<div>
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2173/bna.253">doi:10.2173/bna.253</a></div>
<h2>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></h2>
Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-29383198539912513692015-08-29T17:30:00.000-04:002015-08-29T17:30:24.414-04:00Parc Perlière Celebrates 111th Yard Bird!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvJzxnyO3BjZqPfHdgQQof7FNl96PZVfPNKfsZkAuHq0FPnv-I1vqMQd6bwdYM2qMiA2Y7Yd3x30PePtHYwjd0QFOOQNXz4Mrg93svu5Jkk0sTu1p34zprneHB_r-FQYQ8BX9mCjOJmsU/s1600/bado-628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvJzxnyO3BjZqPfHdgQQof7FNl96PZVfPNKfsZkAuHq0FPnv-I1vqMQd6bwdYM2qMiA2Y7Yd3x30PePtHYwjd0QFOOQNXz4Mrg93svu5Jkk0sTu1p34zprneHB_r-FQYQ8BX9mCjOJmsU/s1600/bado-628.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barred Owl -- Francis Beidler Forest -- June 13, 2009</td></tr>
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"Who, Who cooks for You All..." I heard a muffled version of this from inside the house two nights ago. At first, I thought the noise was the silly Beagle barking 2 doors down. But finally, at one point, I heard it clearly and distinctly -- a <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barred_Owl/id" target="_blank">Barred Owl</a>! Here on James Island in full suburbia just 2 blocks from Folly Road! Holy Mackerel! And so we created an <a href="http://ebird.org/content/ebird/" target="_blank">eBird</a> list to record our 111th Yard Bird! Yea! Since we were on the eBird site, we decide to investigate how frequently Barred Owls had been recorded on James Island. I can say that since my earliest childhood, I cannot remember ever hearing a Barred Owl. Eastern Screech Owls and Great Horned Owls, yes -- but never a Barred Owl. The sightings map showed exactly 5 -- all in the last 2 years. Of course, eBird is a more recent phenomenon relatively speaking. But there are some dedicated birders who have posted all of their bird lists. Dennis Forsythe, for example, did see (hear?) a Barred Owl on Folly Beach in 1992. And we also discovered Carl's forgotten sighting of a Barred Owl in James Island County Park this past January. I remember now my disbelief when he told me. I think of these birds as being slightly more inland and certainly not in full suburbia. <br />
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Unfortunately, we did not see him, though he was fairly close in the oaks just across or perhaps sitting in some branches over our creek. He only hooted for about 20 minutes and then nothing. I would like to hear him again. The photo above is my best ever Barred Owl photo taken in the <a href="http://beidlerforest.audubon.org/" target="_blank">Francis Beidler Forest</a>! Below is another favorite photo taken this year in the <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/scnfs/home/?cid=fsbdev3_037393" target="_blank">Francis Marion National Forest</a>. Thursday night's owl must have just been passing through as we have not heard him since. Happy silent flights my secretive night time visitor -- You made mark no. 111 in our recordbook! Thank you!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lFxTvORnOfjajEXy1hjqByQdBz2quuH8rNqbulcKr280LxrDoGqs3fIE2-9vAZPKti0gOCxorg3QJFUIX0Ad0-a0CAH_oaAi31OqMASqdVRXXk7iTtRWGg1CfsztNcoppM_2Q0Rqi5O0/s1600/bado-6857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lFxTvORnOfjajEXy1hjqByQdBz2quuH8rNqbulcKr280LxrDoGqs3fIE2-9vAZPKti0gOCxorg3QJFUIX0Ad0-a0CAH_oaAi31OqMASqdVRXXk7iTtRWGg1CfsztNcoppM_2Q0Rqi5O0/s1600/bado-6857.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barred Owl eating something? -- Francis Marion Forest -- April 3, 2015</td></tr>
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<b>Postscript:</b> Silly me! I forgot about my all time favorite photo of a Barred Owl! It is the one below taken at the <a href="http://www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org/" target="_blank">Center for Birds of Prey</a> during their flight demonstration.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQE_tkPPeAFZpjqPGIpm6gXKPUI7-ygQEkaprNvIVu_YvNIy2tiXgG7eRhnzmqZu0tlQlPn0-_xkBmxVRHNVSXLhsLBAdFf5m_nUu-2TtxId1J6ojpCFF1Bl6x7Rh96Hp_0wO-Ep7SF8P/s1600/bado-192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQE_tkPPeAFZpjqPGIpm6gXKPUI7-ygQEkaprNvIVu_YvNIy2tiXgG7eRhnzmqZu0tlQlPn0-_xkBmxVRHNVSXLhsLBAdFf5m_nUu-2TtxId1J6ojpCFF1Bl6x7Rh96Hp_0wO-Ep7SF8P/s640/bado-192.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barred Owl -- Center for Birds of Prey -- April 2, 2010</td></tr>
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-66578990121394221922015-08-16T16:16:00.000-04:002015-08-16T16:16:35.195-04:00TAP TAP TAP .... Guess who came back!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCgxv8Y-ftHgiG6VRQvwxy3WiJeujkKBaI_P0PBnVQqyExAtZIVTi6UNIcDOdPAGIdeJYkgMeN7RR1w4PefsdjsBIIa-kpZPRgBZCedsYJw3rvwZR1-e-sYdulcqLzy0jtbLkqucWqfSZ/s1600/eabl-8565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCgxv8Y-ftHgiG6VRQvwxy3WiJeujkKBaI_P0PBnVQqyExAtZIVTi6UNIcDOdPAGIdeJYkgMeN7RR1w4PefsdjsBIIa-kpZPRgBZCedsYJw3rvwZR1-e-sYdulcqLzy0jtbLkqucWqfSZ/s640/eabl-8565.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Princess Bluebird" -- Eastern Bluebird -- Parc Perlière, Charleston, SC -- May 23, 2015</td></tr>
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Yes, I was once again napping on the sofa one Saturday afternoon in late May when I heard a vaguely familiar tap, tap, tap. Could it be Princess Bluebird tapping in her familiar spot at the dining room window? Sure enough! She was back! A couple of years ago, this bird nested in our nest box and learned how to use the mealworm feeder. She became an enthusiastic user and I watched her with camera ready at an open window from the dining room. She knew I was there and she knew who put the worms in the box. Once when the box was empty, she flew to the dining room window where we have a seed feeder. and began peering into the house. Then she began the tapping! You can learn more of how this bluebird learned to use the mealworm feeder and of her ritualistic tapping in these previous blogposts from <a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2013/04/update-no-2-on-parc-perlieres-nesting.html" target="_blank">April 2013</a>, <a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2013/05/update-no-3-on-parc-perlieres-nesting.html" target="_blank">May 2013</a> and <a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/07/woosh-poof-brutal-and-beautiful-wild.html" target="_blank">July 2014</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSPvmnrB9C6sz08XJRSJ2f6hvGGAg9PKikbu4HF6tzsqE1p59ZH5Cizq4VyHPTq8KyX11BQ6BjmV6c25DffQWZfQ0HTtuThwDdD_UAucRmzG8M25580jDk73yY7CwFu283KaA6_yASlON/s1600/eabl-8524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSPvmnrB9C6sz08XJRSJ2f6hvGGAg9PKikbu4HF6tzsqE1p59ZH5Cizq4VyHPTq8KyX11BQ6BjmV6c25DffQWZfQ0HTtuThwDdD_UAucRmzG8M25580jDk73yY7CwFu283KaA6_yASlON/s640/eabl-8524.JPG" width="602" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Princess Bluebird" -- Eastern Bluebird -- Parc Perlière, Charleston, SC -- May 23, 2015</td></tr>
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Like last year, we opted not to respond to her "requests" for mealworms this year as we were preparing, like last year, to leave on vacation. We did not want to start feeding mealworms to a bird who might have chicks by the time we had to leave and then not have a ready supply of mealworms. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBY0IO0sh6bMQbbjiAH5SzAREC0zjVd5SyTQHwRH6DCm3p6qP-Puh1tVnTSSfrxLdBKCLl0KFbc6F8Kfbfs9SbzSBAyztIYNzPFsfjnmbEpFfRv-XqTCoOABVw3Q_pSt4eoJJSITjVJxG/s1600/eabl-8587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBY0IO0sh6bMQbbjiAH5SzAREC0zjVd5SyTQHwRH6DCm3p6qP-Puh1tVnTSSfrxLdBKCLl0KFbc6F8Kfbfs9SbzSBAyztIYNzPFsfjnmbEpFfRv-XqTCoOABVw3Q_pSt4eoJJSITjVJxG/s640/eabl-8587.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Princess Bluebird" -- Eastern Bluebird -- Parc Perlière, Charleston, SC -- May 23, 2015</td></tr>
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Below are a couple more shots taken from a slightly different angle. This angle shows her reflection in the window and caused us to wonder if she was simply attacking her own reflection as so many birds will do in car mirrors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMFYz2IPR3w1aMb3DbylReNwRxAE_r48mYdmXx5Bf1W8IynDL47If5N8rlRYgm97E92P2kdnKA66iYUTjzTwGK_zyDb-ch_6CiQarX10kGHYUIs9h0N2eA_qu4yp0fnbcv5f2v05vXrX9/s1600/eabl-8685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMFYz2IPR3w1aMb3DbylReNwRxAE_r48mYdmXx5Bf1W8IynDL47If5N8rlRYgm97E92P2kdnKA66iYUTjzTwGK_zyDb-ch_6CiQarX10kGHYUIs9h0N2eA_qu4yp0fnbcv5f2v05vXrX9/s640/eabl-8685.JPG" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Princess Bluebird" -- Eastern Bluebird -- Parc Perlière, Charleston, SC -- May 24, 2015</td></tr>
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After experimenting with proximity and angle with the window myself, I no longer believe this is the case. I could see movement and people inside the house when I was close enough. Also, she never tapped at any other window -- just the window where a bird feeder sat just inches away. Of course, a bird's eyesight is not going to be the same as a human's. But how they differ in terms of seeing reflections in windows at close range vs. seeing through the window to the inside, I do not know. Previously, I had always had the impression that she was making eye contact with me through the window in her "requests" for mealworms.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirW8k_BxZtbSHXqVntaChC9eDbsL_mNYs4jd6jRXY5EStGo9M259PtgnNE48J51bazO0U3fCb5xsrlPUN13HhWNw0jjQ4U1_ThMphLiVbyaSavRH5gyOj8qfgpx8KEX0T0q5TmEgJ5pJro/s1600/eabl-8675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirW8k_BxZtbSHXqVntaChC9eDbsL_mNYs4jd6jRXY5EStGo9M259PtgnNE48J51bazO0U3fCb5xsrlPUN13HhWNw0jjQ4U1_ThMphLiVbyaSavRH5gyOj8qfgpx8KEX0T0q5TmEgJ5pJro/s640/eabl-8675.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Princess Bluebird" -- Eastern Bluebird -- Parc Perlière, Charleston, SC -- May 24, 2015</span></td></tr>
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For a week, Princess continued to tap while she and her mate also considered the bluebird box as a potential nesting site. But eventually they did move on. Can we presume it is because she was not able to tap us into dispensing mealworms? Will we see her next year? I hope so. I also hope that she comes at a time when we might be able to dish out some mealworms and watch her chicks grow up in the box as in years past! <br />
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-62961971711552401232015-08-02T05:36:00.001-04:002015-08-02T05:36:52.064-04:00Wood Duck Tales of 2015<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIAoDc7WpfhlXxR_gExBF9hSyMrWc-ghrikERf0ukPa6x023pTYNV619lXDqwu7d2P6-CZJL7D2Wzr-2zrxTjGrgDupR677wUMV5OQf0V9BlcXe_fc_gD_oLUiqZnu4BRReKeIaajNxEQ/s1600/wodu-7466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIAoDc7WpfhlXxR_gExBF9hSyMrWc-ghrikERf0ukPa6x023pTYNV619lXDqwu7d2P6-CZJL7D2Wzr-2zrxTjGrgDupR677wUMV5OQf0V9BlcXe_fc_gD_oLUiqZnu4BRReKeIaajNxEQ/s640/wodu-7466.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Duck family -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC -- April 18, 2015</td></tr>
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Looking back to three posts ago, <a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2015/04/parc-perliere-hosts-its-110th-yard-bird.html" target="_blank">"Parc Perlière hosts Its 110th Yard Bird!"</a> (yes, I know, way back when in April), I had promised readers a tale about our recently "fledged" Wood Ducks (seen above). And then my professional life became a bit too time-consuming and I had to put the tale on hold. Certainly, I should not withhold it any longer as I now have even more Wood Duck tales to tell. I thought it would be hard to compete with <a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/04/wood-duck-update-kudos-to-mom.html" target="_blank">last year's post</a> about our Wood Ducks with the fabulous video compiled by Carl (scroll to the bottom for the video). If you have not seen it, check it out! It shows the story of what is happening both inside the box and outside the box on the day that they leap. Also, last year we had some serious competition for the box with <a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/03/wood-duck-update-march-31-2014-two.html" target="_blank">two females fighting in the box</a> (again, scroll to the bottom of the page for the video). The first female eventually drove off the interloper. But that was last year's tale and you can read about it in the multiple posts listed in the sidebar ....<br />
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This year's tale: Carl needed to replace last year's damaged camera with another. Unfortunately, the new camera did not equal the quality of the old. Though we could make out what was happening in the box, the picture was very pixelated and we no longer had the infrared option that allowed us to see into the box after dark. Thus, we did not make an inside video to share this year . But we did watch to keep track of what was going on. We did not have quite the same drama unfolding in the neighborhood as last year with duck fights in the box. There may have been some egg dumping on occasion though.<br />
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We noticed mid-Spring more and more wood ducks -- both male and female were hanging out. There seems to be a increase in the wood duck population in our neighborhood. Many ducks began hanging our regularly under the feeder that we have hanging over the creek nibbling on the food that the birds push out. Turtles, by the way, have also been taking advantage of this food source.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YVmZAMj_kzZTLUNKBtUwkwXTfDsxgTpVnIxflaAjqW5uyTfb-mEcQfnoLtAOJ4ooR1nh3D5UIZ-2TXNpa39R-r3tVcgsA_MgTNVOS3l2wzwxjKYp6DTYaw6kYsBLnYERlRG35WfxzsEl/s1600/wodu-7247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YVmZAMj_kzZTLUNKBtUwkwXTfDsxgTpVnIxflaAjqW5uyTfb-mEcQfnoLtAOJ4ooR1nh3D5UIZ-2TXNpa39R-r3tVcgsA_MgTNVOS3l2wzwxjKYp6DTYaw6kYsBLnYERlRG35WfxzsEl/s640/wodu-7247.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Wood Duck -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC -- April 18, 2015</td></tr>
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Yes, we had a clutch in the box in March with an expected hatch date of mid-April The kids hatched out on Wednesday, April 15. This meant that they would leave the box on Thursday, April 16. There was an 80% chance of rain predicted for that day. It just was not possible to stay home from work to watch it happen. Unhappily, I went to work. However, Carl has the video feed set up such that we can log into a live feed off of a home server that he built. Even though the view inside the box was not good, I still did not want to miss the big jump. So I pulled it up on my computer in the classroom and then, put it on the Smartboard.<br />
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Imagine my French 2 students' puzzlement when they walked into the room. They did not quite understand why Madame Miller would have a view of the inside of a Wood Duck box on the Smartboard. By this time in the class, English is not allowed. Their level of comprehension is still very basic. Nonetheless, I explained, in very basic French -- translating new terms when needed, what was going to happen that morning and what they would see. They learned a lot about Wood Duck nesting behavior. I let them know that the chicks had hatched the day before and had to leave the box into order to eat. They learned that the ducks would never return to the nest. I told them that the whole screen would go dark when the Mama duck got up into the hole to look out to make sure the coast was clear. Then, when she jumped out, we would see the chicks climbing up the sides of the box to the hole to also jump out. I am sure that several were not quite sure that they understood everything. We set about our usual classroom routine which involved a review, a seat assignment and a homework check. They could watch the screen with the mass of moving ducks and work on their assignments as I moved about the room checking their work. It was good to have so many eyes watching. As I helped another student, all of a sudden, I heard a chorus of "Madame!" Sure enough, the screen had gone black. We waited, and waited. I explained that the Mama had to make sure that it was safe for her babes to leave. Finally, with a flash of light (the camera was readjusting) and the Mama Duck fell back inside the box. Nope, she was not ready. Sigh. So we went back to work. Two more times, I heard my students call out "Madame!" The screen went black. And 2 more times, Mama fell back into the box. Well, the chicks were beginning to tire of their mother's overly cautious behavior -- they were hungry! Three of them began climbing the wall of the box towards the exit. It is possible that one of them actually leapt. We are not sure because Mama moved so very quickly to leave the box that time. Then, it was a charge of little ducklings as they scrambled up the walls of the box and popped out! They were all gone in about a minute! The kids were entranced I am sure as much by the event as they were by my excitement! It had become a great teaching moment in terms of their listening comprehension. Many were not quite sure they had understood my description of the events until they unfolded before their eyes. Also, the little ducklings became much cuter when they were not all bunched up in one pixelated mess. And it all happened in French!<br />
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Below are more photos that I took 2 days after their exit. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80eLbAIglD6igum7wfpM_5hRZM5WYEjVB66jSEpCRcppaF9z802StW66rNGwJVO_rkopTNTn08c4UN6Ye7VVGEox1pMrtcIIrpkyLX4EZoU5NjRCWIPpLi7ACU_dED40P62zqWW1UJt52/s1600/wodu-7284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80eLbAIglD6igum7wfpM_5hRZM5WYEjVB66jSEpCRcppaF9z802StW66rNGwJVO_rkopTNTn08c4UN6Ye7VVGEox1pMrtcIIrpkyLX4EZoU5NjRCWIPpLi7ACU_dED40P62zqWW1UJt52/s640/wodu-7284.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slightly older Wood Duck chicks from a family that had hatched out form a neighborhood box -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC-- April 18, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXbgRcKaW9NSabWLBvitBjNjnthjAOSoiACAs_K77wM401RZAsPeQ7b7eLjDBQ19ynKHqrd_Vv6ZlqScOWe4ZQ65Z7PNcg6jOF4e4VUZajMjaSPq4ojUrnJ6SCysDQZpDl0LcDCn29_xc/s1600/wodu-7230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXbgRcKaW9NSabWLBvitBjNjnthjAOSoiACAs_K77wM401RZAsPeQ7b7eLjDBQ19ynKHqrd_Vv6ZlqScOWe4ZQ65Z7PNcg6jOF4e4VUZajMjaSPq4ojUrnJ6SCysDQZpDl0LcDCn29_xc/s640/wodu-7230.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mama Wood Duck -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC-- April 18, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMO2Uce7HOS1TIeYqG88xevFnE8eTXqQOyp5DpQjfaFtuXS3eZpc-Vop0WYWAm7X5cTo0dTlymWMNAIUk5UndyZQXQ2iLOa71PijBU9ufQ78XohD8kRTZEwp57irlhiZmCF8-7QJLroFy/s1600/wodu-7460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMO2Uce7HOS1TIeYqG88xevFnE8eTXqQOyp5DpQjfaFtuXS3eZpc-Vop0WYWAm7X5cTo0dTlymWMNAIUk5UndyZQXQ2iLOa71PijBU9ufQ78XohD8kRTZEwp57irlhiZmCF8-7QJLroFy/s640/wodu-7460.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mama Wood Duck with the chicks that hatched on April 15 -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC-- April 18, 2015</td></tr>
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The weekend before the chicks hatched, I had noticed 3 pairs of wood ducks hanging out in the creek & trees behind the house close to our box. One male actually flew to roost on top of the box. His female then joined him. I went to the computer to see if it was perhaps the Mama duck. No, she was inside on her eggs looking up towards the noise. Then while the male on top of the box and the other 2 pairs watched, his female attempted to go in the box. She quickly got the message that this prime piece of real estate had already been taken. It was not long before all 3 pairs left. Thus we were not surprised to discover the box became occupied nearly as soon as it was vacated.<br />
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This means, that yes, we were expecting a second clutch of little ducklings! Full time incubation began on May 6 which meant the ducklings should hatch by the end of the 1st week of June! I hoped we could be home this time for the big leap. We were to leave to spend a week in a cabin in the NC mountains on Sunday, June 7. And we were indeed lucky this time -- the babes hatched Saturday, June 6. On that Sunday morning, we were ready with our cameras! The first event of the day, was the appearance of these 7 ? week old chicks passing by the box! My apologies for the blur -- the light was low and they were moving fast. It is possible that these are the same ones that exited the box earlier in the Spring! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ydYY2b0ivb2zo4rFYHg3DWU8vyxA-Fr4JAkJNbFzeW_zINavk4IZREvwPT6KtYyWafuF0-tauJRznOKMprS4mupsvoQlzl0dWVEEMzvCykXamZQE_-v5FuvftAymUcxvMpzNGrX73CDL/s1600/wodu-8976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ydYY2b0ivb2zo4rFYHg3DWU8vyxA-Fr4JAkJNbFzeW_zINavk4IZREvwPT6KtYyWafuF0-tauJRznOKMprS4mupsvoQlzl0dWVEEMzvCykXamZQE_-v5FuvftAymUcxvMpzNGrX73CDL/s640/wodu-8976.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Duck chicks from a previous clutch? -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC-- June 7, 2015</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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Then, Mama made her appearance a couple of times to do the safety check. Carl and I had stayed in the house -- using it as a blind and we remained crouched down out of sight. We watched the box via the computer feed and the live view option on our cameras. Though we were out of sight, the fact that the windows were open probably aroused her suspicions.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXO_Jktmw7WRHwv0qlRA9keIU0zbIpvDRXPT-ckfvenH4W9YEwnYcCpm2jtqAhBXJ8YKXeh9fpG-F9QgJncngkA4AzSORvzYpn4JNUSgV1033U_wDqkdfudZlpuvWzZVAY0m9G1R9yaGa/s1600/wodu-8977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXO_Jktmw7WRHwv0qlRA9keIU0zbIpvDRXPT-ckfvenH4W9YEwnYcCpm2jtqAhBXJ8YKXeh9fpG-F9QgJncngkA4AzSORvzYpn4JNUSgV1033U_wDqkdfudZlpuvWzZVAY0m9G1R9yaGa/s1600/wodu-8977.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mama Duck checking to see if it were safe for her children to leap -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC-- June 7, 2015</td></tr>
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Finally, after twice returning inside the box, she came out and began calling her chicks. This year, I took stills instead of video. Here are the results!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloClsGZLV_3PzCIfmE7rfW705h_Y8BjGb40A3h3Hr7kEzgG1bJ09vTSJJ8yWnIgEmvK_ApPu_oMBXNijV7Pk7FZVteevqYdvb2JGJ4t4kr4V360q_WwvojphKygA8G-cOXcQYAy_d220P/s1600/wodu-8979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloClsGZLV_3PzCIfmE7rfW705h_Y8BjGb40A3h3Hr7kEzgG1bJ09vTSJJ8yWnIgEmvK_ApPu_oMBXNijV7Pk7FZVteevqYdvb2JGJ4t4kr4V360q_WwvojphKygA8G-cOXcQYAy_d220P/s640/wodu-8979.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Duck chick -- Hoisting oneself up -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC-- June 7, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyv4r1wCqSMtgwExPoE_5OzKdIfwG8nVIvD5PnOqWL3Aci7hdU7-w4349JJdLoZv_wbCgTbUuBgyFC6v9t2a-eArLXVhyphenhyphenfDLbjzVyGV8m2hosXpH0Gs_XWcVk6nFdnieS2fdRXN471LQD/s1600/wodu-8980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyv4r1wCqSMtgwExPoE_5OzKdIfwG8nVIvD5PnOqWL3Aci7hdU7-w4349JJdLoZv_wbCgTbUuBgyFC6v9t2a-eArLXVhyphenhyphenfDLbjzVyGV8m2hosXpH0Gs_XWcVk6nFdnieS2fdRXN471LQD/s640/wodu-8980.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Duck chicks -- Two at a time -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC-- June 7, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCjlMoje52CHjkP1ahSJ0BSYSEjyT7_C3SHdpEIMfUR0_nI4K0kLsbNBLMs3WuTCXocXlYYfzjr8p8ArVPbYl-3TrTU-CT4vR9gJaLmhyphenhyphen5kfcsmvq7yF9vvRJeCYqZvGhS2Xfd66-F6PE/s1600/wodu-8978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCjlMoje52CHjkP1ahSJ0BSYSEjyT7_C3SHdpEIMfUR0_nI4K0kLsbNBLMs3WuTCXocXlYYfzjr8p8ArVPbYl-3TrTU-CT4vR9gJaLmhyphenhyphen5kfcsmvq7yF9vvRJeCYqZvGhS2Xfd66-F6PE/s640/wodu-8978.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Duck chicks -- One leaps, one hesitates -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC-- June 7, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEs-wyWwNTQkCM72IFZENQ9c7DxxI92WHa8qiGmo_0CFbOi2ywSI0pC2hp_QFUWQk75Mpvx1nS0LikrnOdEtm2E9fUPXXd281TfVplTOVkoFCoNg9W2mrOl1UrqwpWd3fzwZqZ79rzlxDW/s1600/wodu-8981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEs-wyWwNTQkCM72IFZENQ9c7DxxI92WHa8qiGmo_0CFbOi2ywSI0pC2hp_QFUWQk75Mpvx1nS0LikrnOdEtm2E9fUPXXd281TfVplTOVkoFCoNg9W2mrOl1UrqwpWd3fzwZqZ79rzlxDW/s640/wodu-8981.JPG" width="590" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Duck chicks -- Time to go! -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC-- June 7, 2015</td></tr>
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What a precious moment! I am so glad that we got to see it! It is so exciting to see them leave the box to begin their new life! That concludes our Wood Duck tales for the year! During the rest of June, unlike in previous years where we NEVER saw the chicks again, we did frequently continue to see many Wood Ducks -- parents and chicks both -- gathering under our feeder at high tide. Only on a rare occasion do we see them now. The males were in serious molting stage last I saw. <br />
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In preparations for the next nesting season, Carl plans to rebuild our nest boxes -- both Wood Duck and Bluebird. Because of the high demand for the wood duck box, he might actually build 2 of them. We also want to buy new cameras and we will certainly be pickier about what we choose. Hopefully, we will get sound next time, too! The anticipation for next year is sweet!<br />
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Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-18000904867244600832015-07-31T17:26:00.002-04:002015-07-31T17:48:21.884-04:00My Favorite Backyard Bird This Summer ... Until Recently...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX83pHWyIVU-EzkjTZcsJHr9wRGPbrZUoAzIAuQNsvzJUJT7rRrIPm3-rYh1JdG2v7MnInRhjvUVyjgkNNHqDWY264AWBaH3gHF8n1tpPbVe0XbH2rxI0qEJ_jE1nM89HtZyiB1z5mh9oa/s1600/oror-9757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX83pHWyIVU-EzkjTZcsJHr9wRGPbrZUoAzIAuQNsvzJUJT7rRrIPm3-rYh1JdG2v7MnInRhjvUVyjgkNNHqDWY264AWBaH3gHF8n1tpPbVe0XbH2rxI0qEJ_jE1nM89HtZyiB1z5mh9oa/s640/oror-9757.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orchard Oriole -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC -- July 1, 2015</td></tr>
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Until recently, this bold, lovely, lemony Orchard Oriole frequented our oriole feeder daily. When I first saw it, I thought "Warbler?!" But no, Orchard Orioles are the smallest among the orioles and this was simply a female (or perhaps a first year male not yet in breeding plumage). Originally, I thought female, but as the month progressed, I saw a few black feathers beginning to come out on his neck under the chin. You will not see that in these photos though. I spent many an early morning on the swing on the back deck and this bold bird would fly in and drink his fill from the feeder just a few feet away. We had an understanding: if I swung gently (and did not get up), he would come drink and perch prettily for me to admire him. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLg6opJ0ACrIhB52O53fNFExOK6eX1b2uhcVKCZGdkt4yrRMcpK9d62QtaVzLOmtih5f0hr99Td5yB_B1SZPJu92INfzzBDTxj04ZAtZq5fWC_LUVTjkYf2SIQozEuoNAT6sP2PlQT5xq/s1600/oror-9780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLg6opJ0ACrIhB52O53fNFExOK6eX1b2uhcVKCZGdkt4yrRMcpK9d62QtaVzLOmtih5f0hr99Td5yB_B1SZPJu92INfzzBDTxj04ZAtZq5fWC_LUVTjkYf2SIQozEuoNAT6sP2PlQT5xq/s640/oror-9780.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orchard Oriole -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC -- July 1, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrh34ebtg55qCYmgT4WQK1b6CuvS5B8v1kXMsbfFErWgNTIhvuNJ9y6ODABVTs3c52iEqBXgiOelkFEuRwZWIR9uE9DbfQIykPj6m6i3n53mr_JW5r8cUo6buFK4T1ctvTe75mwmZHeM9/s1600/oror-9783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrh34ebtg55qCYmgT4WQK1b6CuvS5B8v1kXMsbfFErWgNTIhvuNJ9y6ODABVTs3c52iEqBXgiOelkFEuRwZWIR9uE9DbfQIykPj6m6i3n53mr_JW5r8cUo6buFK4T1ctvTe75mwmZHeM9/s1600/oror-9783.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orchard Oriole -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC -- July 1, 2015</td></tr>
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So why is he no longer my Favorite Backyard Bird this summer? Well, he has departed. I have not seen him in a week and with so many other birds to enjoy .... Perhaps, I should give the title of Favorite Bird to the young, cry-baby Red-tailed Hawk who shows herself (clumsily) from time to time. Yesterday, I watched her descend for a landing -- scary! I could not actually see the landing as it was behind some trees. She really did not look like she knew what to do so I doubt that it was graceful. We certainly know when she is around whether we can see her or not. Like many young Red-taileds, she cries a lot for attention. And the mockingbirds then usually deliver -- divebombing her. (I am guessing that this is a female because of her size -- she is HUGE!) <br />
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Speaking of Northern Mockingbirds, the family nesting in my Loropetalum by the front steps may qualify as Current Favorite Yard Bird. I just discovered the nest 2 days ago when I unknowingly flushed the mama off of the nest. She flew up to a branch in the pine and watched while I carefully moved some leaves to get a good look at her 3 mostly hairless and blind babies. And no, neither she nor her mate divebombed me. I have not been divebombed by a bird in my own yard in many years, not since I began feeding them. They know where their treats are coming from! I need to follow Nestwatching protocol so I will not be peaking into the nest until later in the weekend. You should not look into a nest any more often than every 3 or 4 days. Otherwise, it is simply considered too much disturbance. I hope to be able to get a picture this weekend. I estimated that the chicks were perhaps 2 (?) days old when I first saw them. <br />
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Who will be the next favorite yard bird? Good question! It will be either a rare bird or another bird that hangs out and captures my attention for awhile! So, so long Oriole (I miss our morning rendez-vous), au revoir Red-tailed, goodbye Mockingbirds, and hello __________ ? <br />
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-2891830217204924532015-07-29T12:34:00.000-04:002015-07-29T12:34:17.024-04:00Early Returning Piping Plovers!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbU2S7C7Am2TEklDG0EMPiIF6FZWF4aZRiF2J1ID7bbxz4ij00yCbtbswWXgCkAv9NGcpDMfzwHjmKXmQTMgBIdJoMMqcYk_KdQ5Zp8TywFFfwIqJACfLZyrUdZQhDRgRXiFCrzczOm5QT/s1600/landscape-1138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbU2S7C7Am2TEklDG0EMPiIF6FZWF4aZRiF2J1ID7bbxz4ij00yCbtbswWXgCkAv9NGcpDMfzwHjmKXmQTMgBIdJoMMqcYk_KdQ5Zp8TywFFfwIqJACfLZyrUdZQhDRgRXiFCrzczOm5QT/s640/landscape-1138.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">North end of Folly Beach -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- July 27, 2015</td></tr>
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Yes! <a href="http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/piping-plover" target="_blank">Piping Plovers</a> are beginning to return to our beaches! I had read of a couple of sightings in recent days but had not yet seen one myself until yesterday! A quiet weekday morning, I decided to take a walk on the north end of Folly at the <a href="http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20090910/ARCHIVES/309109824" target="_blank">Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve</a> -- taking my new scope to look for shorebirds. It is somewhat early for shorebirds and I am beginning to feel impatient. So I was delighted to find this guy just around the corner on the front beach. Not wanting to stress this bird, but still wanting that photo, I sat down on the beach about 15 meters from him. Pointing my big lens towards him, I determined that he was still not stressed. So I sat, waited and hoped that he might become comfortable enough to come closer. Sure enough, my patience paid off. In typical plover feeding fashion, he zigzagged his course up along the water's edge towards me. Perhaps this bold and beautiful bird was curious about the clickity click of my shutter. Eventually, he fed his way past me at a distance of about 2.5 meters. What a nice wildlife moment!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VSPfElGYOvfes0rJSG4HGOx6WAxrFoX_MQeQznzSiyY7oqbfzWL0g9Ni51FG2ZSJuPuXrdJLWRrKIEjXTWuu1x8mjawoeiZghIquCjx5AsqePH-gNLrp7A6vRS8LLoBByCQlABdCFn-f/s1600/pipl-1031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VSPfElGYOvfes0rJSG4HGOx6WAxrFoX_MQeQznzSiyY7oqbfzWL0g9Ni51FG2ZSJuPuXrdJLWRrKIEjXTWuu1x8mjawoeiZghIquCjx5AsqePH-gNLrp7A6vRS8LLoBByCQlABdCFn-f/s640/pipl-1031.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_2cmhx7CqTrEklS7j5joz6J6sr4NuLJATxzuBwPzpCsWhvvTLSArK7mIfpgM_sBsjeVNeyIZRIBX9i8PMBvKWlm22STrQfadKZI4skpEpvhRC4Rzfm2uGjCHkthhw-z1RfxvS56aTq6O/s1600/pipl-1054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_2cmhx7CqTrEklS7j5joz6J6sr4NuLJATxzuBwPzpCsWhvvTLSArK7mIfpgM_sBsjeVNeyIZRIBX9i8PMBvKWlm22STrQfadKZI4skpEpvhRC4Rzfm2uGjCHkthhw-z1RfxvS56aTq6O/s640/pipl-1054.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrM8W4RTQsEgZ9a2izdEZb_oQ58AHvbo_-BVItXntNI-a9Ybvrjy4qCqYVqci0GjOgTeM91C5W1313cC3uSe5BW0ObiAS9bfoIg9ylTL_Aos0qQHS1xd6FZE80ZchWFfZO6yXMn5GSPkG9/s1600/pipl-1082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrM8W4RTQsEgZ9a2izdEZb_oQ58AHvbo_-BVItXntNI-a9Ybvrjy4qCqYVqci0GjOgTeM91C5W1313cC3uSe5BW0ObiAS9bfoIg9ylTL_Aos0qQHS1xd6FZE80ZchWFfZO6yXMn5GSPkG9/s640/pipl-1082.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVL746OcX1oo69m2CluSGON8H2KJeVv1sYwP3XopsKezDcB0WkwH-gaPYCG4DahQSyHa4P0IdEhyphenhyphenJPEgQZ-3ySArLuqCHgrMJ8S57s4vJXZbDJ0kjFQ1docFu-oUc13wv-QrwDbaCo5L5k/s1600/pipl-1117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVL746OcX1oo69m2CluSGON8H2KJeVv1sYwP3XopsKezDcB0WkwH-gaPYCG4DahQSyHa4P0IdEhyphenhyphenJPEgQZ-3ySArLuqCHgrMJ8S57s4vJXZbDJ0kjFQ1docFu-oUc13wv-QrwDbaCo5L5k/s640/pipl-1117.JPG" width="561" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuVf4LdiC1JJerYxXzthC5p0_2Qz6Rb7gkvM8t_YhOZ5KdvgHxIaxPS8kFYlOScCdVYjrOgjo_QfIMNQ19Ar95TxtvC-6GYW4253FhFDRY_NrVqxjbcMJeUmy25GNiSlBM_oyCcvRPkbY/s1600/pipl-1127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuVf4LdiC1JJerYxXzthC5p0_2Qz6Rb7gkvM8t_YhOZ5KdvgHxIaxPS8kFYlOScCdVYjrOgjo_QfIMNQ19Ar95TxtvC-6GYW4253FhFDRY_NrVqxjbcMJeUmy25GNiSlBM_oyCcvRPkbY/s640/pipl-1127.JPG" width="592" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBKLJ54smo2ksCkDU8BPiDHr6tis8P59F-K1ihk4iXCDZaPlr_v_6gQqr8ddeXweridEB0l-w1maN4tPPGpTB3PvRQYPKSMCPrHZNAh-RahcZNohA1d7X5GpPNT1flENx9uq4omgwD9dK/s1600/pipl-1128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBKLJ54smo2ksCkDU8BPiDHr6tis8P59F-K1ihk4iXCDZaPlr_v_6gQqr8ddeXweridEB0l-w1maN4tPPGpTB3PvRQYPKSMCPrHZNAh-RahcZNohA1d7X5GpPNT1flENx9uq4omgwD9dK/s640/pipl-1128.JPG" width="592" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015</td></tr>
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By the time of my arrival, the tide had receded such that many terns and pelicans had left Folly to roost on the exposed sandbars out by the Morris Island lighthouse. It was difficult to differentiate species -- even with the scope. I did note Sandwich terns, Royal terns, Least terns and possibly Gull-billed terns. I managed to get a couple of flyover shots of a Royal Tern to add to this collection.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16AimX_nTJYBRkDHV1dJmbIPR2B31EAL6-QZ-EumlVj5qX17Q5jSheP0McIml5p0QwM0nrXFvw2kBiKo2K0vq9R3EXHHs3anbfgwvbcGx2E0W5oAFK_OcnQUieBUffMCEJ-cV-x2wQqV8/s1600/rote-1164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16AimX_nTJYBRkDHV1dJmbIPR2B31EAL6-QZ-EumlVj5qX17Q5jSheP0McIml5p0QwM0nrXFvw2kBiKo2K0vq9R3EXHHs3anbfgwvbcGx2E0W5oAFK_OcnQUieBUffMCEJ-cV-x2wQqV8/s640/rote-1164.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Tern -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5Jab64PhofnBfIM6VH-WG_-E0aDOdWCZxDNNc08SvUrleM6gYEEzyy83IFIPvQaSguQSMp2h-Jz0F-Xbh8uxVDbI4wVm5TXrT5ygGN0RfRwgRat36hsF6Njb5erXz45FrXpfiMjFxtt_/s1600/rote-1169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5Jab64PhofnBfIM6VH-WG_-E0aDOdWCZxDNNc08SvUrleM6gYEEzyy83IFIPvQaSguQSMp2h-Jz0F-Xbh8uxVDbI4wVm5TXrT5ygGN0RfRwgRat36hsF6Njb5erXz45FrXpfiMjFxtt_/s640/rote-1169.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Tern -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015</td></tr>
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It is such a treat to be able to enjoy our beaches without the crush of a crowd. Early mornings on weekdays in the summer is the best time for this activity. In a couple of weeks, I will be back to work teaching French so I am glad to have been able to visit Folly yesterday and to be able to share that bold and beautiful Piping Plover in this post! <br />
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-35297304523247641402015-04-18T13:46:00.000-04:002015-04-18T13:46:18.814-04:00Parc Perlière Hosts Its 110th Yard Bird! Carl and I had quite an exciting morning here watching and attempting to photograph our 110th Life Bird for our yard, dubbed Parc Perlière. "Perlière" is French for the oyster that bears the pearl. Indeed, our yard sheltered a true gem today! <br />
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The excitement began when I was sitting on the deck cleaning out a bird feeder -- enjoying the birdsong serenades -- including the "Oh sweet Canada" tune by the White-throated Sparrow who has not yet migrated (no, not this one -- this species is here every winter).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACLWCNA6VjLYrtB3QavDxu6mIEU90svG_YRTVJntW8remAWIZzU00IH0RBm_SWuzKu7meN6fYjsE1UMhYyEDzb1KOqcTtXoQck2pyf6xrYn_Ji334PPBTP4UyOtSt70RC6IruamWhmQCo/s1600/wtsp-7441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACLWCNA6VjLYrtB3QavDxu6mIEU90svG_YRTVJntW8remAWIZzU00IH0RBm_SWuzKu7meN6fYjsE1UMhYyEDzb1KOqcTtXoQck2pyf6xrYn_Ji334PPBTP4UyOtSt70RC6IruamWhmQCo/s1600/wtsp-7441.JPG" height="630" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whtie-throated Sparrow -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC -- April 18. 2015</td></tr>
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A lovely male Painted Bunting (not Number 110 -- we have hosted them before) lit beside me -- just 8 feet away! Carl was just inside the door so I called to him so that he could see the bird. We were thrilled as this was the first Painted Bunting that we have seen on James Island since last summer! Carl was able to get the following wonderful photo of this bird on our feeder. I also went indoors to retrieve my camera.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZNi79TzgaVncq_zyXFmnvRl-TIC4XEYxb7Ku6zMR8zDtAHgCPMTLtXyZyIJIHLZZKOYY9lBXH9hRC9nYlD2YXzdkqhlg7TnTKS-aseQLx9kpIJWVaYZq91HWBKVsVbGkpw97RDsAdkWv/s1600/P1090752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZNi79TzgaVncq_zyXFmnvRl-TIC4XEYxb7Ku6zMR8zDtAHgCPMTLtXyZyIJIHLZZKOYY9lBXH9hRC9nYlD2YXzdkqhlg7TnTKS-aseQLx9kpIJWVaYZq91HWBKVsVbGkpw97RDsAdkWv/s1600/P1090752.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painted Bunting at Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC -- April 18, 2015 -- Photo by Carl Miller</td></tr>
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Then, we saw a Baltimore Oriole (also not Life bird no. 110 for the yard as we host a few all winter)! We were surprised though because has had thought that all of our Baltimore Orioles had left. So we assume this was a migrant. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVUjNwyax_kr9V1rOjMZkcairQZ2IvTNukSWyrwWkq_5ai5pblKhetCIbVG2BTU5OLARUZlAB3dOoTg9VL0-DD9asg9G_DSs08jXs99-MXY9WM77WLT4yimd5bCLXyhiITpxiDylXSOUW/s1600/baor-7218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVUjNwyax_kr9V1rOjMZkcairQZ2IvTNukSWyrwWkq_5ai5pblKhetCIbVG2BTU5OLARUZlAB3dOoTg9VL0-DD9asg9G_DSs08jXs99-MXY9WM77WLT4yimd5bCLXyhiITpxiDylXSOUW/s1600/baor-7218.JPG" height="385" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baltimore Oriole -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC -- April 18, 2015</td></tr>
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Everything began to happen so quickly. Next we noticed that Mama Wood Duck and family were feeding under our feeder that hangs out over the creek. Now there's a story worth telling -- one I may save for a post tomorrow. Hint: It is about this year's Wood Ducks hatching and taking the grand leap from the box 2 days ago. Check back soon to see that post! In the meantime, here is a teaser photo. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLRf8QOMhjOT91d4dk5b0QjsuhaUhaIDhyZUrTcIk6F7bKEPoTCTD7MnaCUMwfsTR_3BOH7yGb8QA4t42XS0ELAkvn073yxIfjI6DxV8-IaLb3udBu-WEazofKNlLhHv0eAP8JeHgdGCbO/s1600/wodu-7426-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLRf8QOMhjOT91d4dk5b0QjsuhaUhaIDhyZUrTcIk6F7bKEPoTCTD7MnaCUMwfsTR_3BOH7yGb8QA4t42XS0ELAkvn073yxIfjI6DxV8-IaLb3udBu-WEazofKNlLhHv0eAP8JeHgdGCbO/s1600/wodu-7426-2.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mama Wood Duck and 3 chicks -- Parc Perlière -- Charleston, SC -- April 18, 2015</td></tr>
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And now for the big reveal -- Drum roll, please! I must say, I was quite surprised when Carl called out that he saw a grosbeak! I was thinking -- Oh cool! A Blue Grosbeak! I had noted from eBird reports that they had begun to show up in the Lowcountry. I was pretty sure that a Blue Grosbeak would be a yard bird! They do breed here in the Lowcountry. Thinking Blue Grosbeak, I was not prepared for this delightful surprise -- A Rose-breasted Grosbeak! Oh mon Dieu! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzZ7dgRTvZm4woz48EVVIe1ULtZDQMD1dM9PnXYNhvfy4aIA1e8nhLN-3pFfNA61EeU3-k7Yaixr9aYUkY3spE0ACApwOJnbRRZr6-9TnpHZdvTkZQ3G-cONw3PZE5HCHDvNPHkSgP5AX/s1600/rbgr-7399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzZ7dgRTvZm4woz48EVVIe1ULtZDQMD1dM9PnXYNhvfy4aIA1e8nhLN-3pFfNA61EeU3-k7Yaixr9aYUkY3spE0ACApwOJnbRRZr6-9TnpHZdvTkZQ3G-cONw3PZE5HCHDvNPHkSgP5AX/s1600/rbgr-7399.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parc Perlière's 110th Life Bird (Yard Bird) -- The Rose-breasted Grosbeak -- Charleston, SC -- April 18, 2015</td></tr>
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And What a Beauty! He came to our feeder about 3 or 4 times this morning. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak will only be seen in our area during migration so we have no idea how long he will stick around. I am glad that I refilled the fairly empty feeders this morning! This bird breeds in the Appalachian mountains --even as far south as North Carolina. But generally his breeding range in further north. You can learn more about this bird's habitat, breeding habits and range here on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/rose-breasted_grosbeak/id" target="_blank">All About Birds site</a>. We wonder if our bird is going to be a one-day wonder or if he will stay awhile to fatten up on the feed we have to offer. While our number 110 is deciding, we will continue to enjoy and admire him!<br />
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Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-16378579443588733942015-04-15T06:11:00.001-04:002015-04-15T06:11:14.476-04:00Come Celebrate! The Warblers Have Returned!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWk26fKGSVakWLIxBAjukTsc8M00UOmlCQAqLfLLIZVogfL7_a51oQaoa60TAg2yLBvth3Rb-nlP_klIK4M5v5t5YL4VxURtpjPg5qMrpuYY9N3nbsGVB8CPXnCdFBTJY_ZgYuYuUPTJG/s1600/prow-1-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWk26fKGSVakWLIxBAjukTsc8M00UOmlCQAqLfLLIZVogfL7_a51oQaoa60TAg2yLBvth3Rb-nlP_klIK4M5v5t5YL4VxURtpjPg5qMrpuYY9N3nbsGVB8CPXnCdFBTJY_ZgYuYuUPTJG/s1600/prow-1-4.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prothonotary Warbler -- Magnolia Gardens -- April 5, 2014</td></tr>
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Why yes! The bedazzling jewels of the forest have returned! And it is time to celebrate and to take a peak at some of these beautiful serenaders at the annual Francis Beidler Forest's <a href="http://beidlerforest.audubon.org/events/wine-warblers" target="_blank">Wine and Warblers </a>event this Saturday, April 18! Truly, if you have never experienced this wonderful event, I heartily recommend it! You will be guided around the boardwalk by a trained naturalist who will intrigue you with his insights on the flora and fauna in the swamp. He will also help you to see the hidden and not so hidden treasures. Our personal favorite is of course the Prothonotary "Golden Boy" Warbler who belts out his song mere feet away in his efforts to attact a mate and to defend his territory. Oh and the appetizers! And the wine! Hmmm -- delicious! There really is no better way to spend an evening -- entrenched in beauty of the outdoors with your fellow nature lovers. This is why Carl and I are there every year. Guess what, I have heard that there are still spots available! I promise -- you will not want to miss this opportunity! <br />
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You can also feel good knowing that the grand majority of the price of your "ticket" will go to help preserve the habitat that brings back our warblers every year! Most (if not all) of the wine and the food too have been donated. Not only that, there's a silent auction of some fabulous items! <br />
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Oops! I almost forgot to mention this. There is a celebrity bird in the forest by the name of "Longshot!" -- sporting a green geolocator (as of this publication date)! We have a chance to see him. Perhaps, by the time Saturday rolls around, the Beidler staff may be able to share with us more of his secrets. You can read more about this celebrity bird here in this <a href="http://beidlerforest.blogspot.com/2015/04/project-protho-2015-update-and-return.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FFjuz+%28Audubon+South+Carolina%29" target="_blank">Audubon South Carolina blog post</a>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6XEG4OWJ8JgeaxDSszzO2eUh9G1ybePllCkjMLYKfUGDIDgLS2WDgT3CYgHu7b5DON3m_Uk03Yck0pcgNJhWsqG5lBRy18eagJJ24wvuKcrFs9PX0oCU6GBe7mEMuPM5YiZth5cpMuGW/s1600/prow-1-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6XEG4OWJ8JgeaxDSszzO2eUh9G1ybePllCkjMLYKfUGDIDgLS2WDgT3CYgHu7b5DON3m_Uk03Yck0pcgNJhWsqG5lBRy18eagJJ24wvuKcrFs9PX0oCU6GBe7mEMuPM5YiZth5cpMuGW/s1600/prow-1-3.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prothonotary Warbler -- Magnolia Gardens -- April 5, 2014</td></tr>
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-15982241083653643612015-01-31T12:44:00.001-05:002015-01-31T13:03:36.678-05:00New Nest Cam on Great Horned Owls -- Currently on Hatch Watch!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKHmURaX3HkcWlGvspy5hWSHD00W_562x9pCf16G5yVSLABTVQtfXuw35z3EPKljvWM28JkzThwr-RiWCHia1cSdzIqHicFc8jJIMMjxms-O97EILjsHFScdqEz5sZpZihH5rw9KMviCT/s1600/GHOW+Botany+Bay+7-21-13+011_edit_em.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKHmURaX3HkcWlGvspy5hWSHD00W_562x9pCf16G5yVSLABTVQtfXuw35z3EPKljvWM28JkzThwr-RiWCHia1cSdzIqHicFc8jJIMMjxms-O97EILjsHFScdqEz5sZpZihH5rw9KMviCT/s1600/GHOW+Botany+Bay+7-21-13+011_edit_em.jpg" height="640" width="529" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Horned Owl at Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area, SC -- July 21, 2013 -- Photo by Pam Ford </td></tr>
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Great Horned Owl Alert! Nest Cam Alert! Hatch Watch Alert! Gee, I do not know where to begin! How I admire this magnificent, elusive bird! Though we had a family nesting in the vicinity of the house last year, I rarely saw them. I did hear them though nearly every night and early in the mornings. Such a beautiful haunting call. So close and so hard to observe or photograph! I thank friend and fellow birder Pam Ford for the above photo to illustrate this post. <br />
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But now thanks to <a href="http://www.skidawayaudubon.org/" target="_blank">Skidaway Audubon</a> near Savannah Georgia (as well as a host of web cam sponsors including <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/Page.aspx?pid=1189#_ga=1.97513430.856285442.1401099943" target="_blank">Cornell Lab of Ornithology</a> the <a href="http://www.georgiawildlife.com/cams" target="_blank">Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources</a>), we can have <b>live views into a Great Horned Owl Nest</b>! The eggs are expected to hatch VERY soon! It is the best view of a wild Great Horned Owl that I have ever had! Check out the nest cam (<a href="http://landingsbirdcam.com/" target="_blank">here on the Skidaway Audubon site</a> or <a href="http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/46/Great_Horned_Owls/" target="_blank">here on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology site</a>) and <a href="http://landingsbirdcam.com/we-are-live-2/" target="_blank">the impressive story</a> behind Skidaway Audubon's nest cam and the arrival of the owls. Be sure to scroll down on the page on the latter link to see stills and videos of the camera installation & repairs and of the owls' courtship prior to egg laying. Just think, we will soon be able to see those big-eyed fuzzy owlets! I am on the edge of my nest in anticipation!Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-76217079873654265882015-01-03T07:29:00.000-05:002015-01-03T07:29:00.924-05:00Musings on my Favorite Birding Moments from 2014 -- Part One<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVwnzy4aKOVED0AKhKqkYWbdO6lRZUCe0T-7Y8KZCurtxa8sAyEyAZpoqzTV6d13r348Xp0g5lzgmVMLqYFkKTA1rUUImJySF2IlamXO625lB0RrEmk25OAw09EpaI5b2pllSSTkCxbpE/s1600/eato-3217-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVwnzy4aKOVED0AKhKqkYWbdO6lRZUCe0T-7Y8KZCurtxa8sAyEyAZpoqzTV6d13r348Xp0g5lzgmVMLqYFkKTA1rUUImJySF2IlamXO625lB0RrEmk25OAw09EpaI5b2pllSSTkCxbpE/s1600/eato-3217-2.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Eastern Towhee -- Cheeha-Combahee Plantation (private property) on the ACE Basin Christmas Bird Count -- December 28, 2014</td></tr>
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<b>December 31, 2014</b><br />
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Tick, tick, tick ... just 22 minutes from 2015. Not being a New Year's Eve reveler, I would prefer to be tucked in bed dreaming of New Year birds. BUT, I cannot sleep through the fireworks so I blog instead and think of my favorite 2014 birding moments, knowing that at the stroke of midnight, my eBird list will tick over to ZERO for the year. Yes, I do have my eBird list open to watch it happen. Ok, yes, I will have to refresh the page. But I prefer this over watching the ball drop at Times Square on TV.<br />
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Though I certainly birded less this year, I did see more bird species with 271 being the total for 2014 with 14 new life birds! Eight of those new birds were found in Maine and New Brunswick this summer! If only we could travel more often and further afield -- the birds we could collect on our lists, in our photos albums and, most importantly in our memories! My eBird life list rests at 364. My actual life list is probably 367 since I have not ever put in a couple of birds from years past -- before I was a birder. <br />
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Before Carl retired for the evening, I asked him what was his Best Bird of 2014. It is a tough question. How do you define the best bird? Does it have to be a Life Bird? For Carl, it most certainly must involve his being able to capture it in a decent photo. His first thought was of the Spruce Grouse that we saw in the northern Maine woods. And I agreed! That was certainly a Best Bird!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22BwQELsfUe56JtVLSUVW5mbSZI75GXL4zmDMgSZ5pJ3XR6k1cgZ0-d1oucQKCas1I-SaK3nT9uv02IouT5hmx3CQqpoLnHIrbm0IcFaKs8PNBa1XIYKngLarXSA7X86MPMo4WoMv4hGP/s1600/spgr-9851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22BwQELsfUe56JtVLSUVW5mbSZI75GXL4zmDMgSZ5pJ3XR6k1cgZ0-d1oucQKCas1I-SaK3nT9uv02IouT5hmx3CQqpoLnHIrbm0IcFaKs8PNBa1XIYKngLarXSA7X86MPMo4WoMv4hGP/s1600/spgr-9851.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Spruce Grouse -- Northern Maine Woods -- Telos Road -- July 18, 2014</td></tr>
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He also thought of the Black Guillemot that we saw off of Campobello Island, in New Brunswick and the Wilson's Warbler from the northern Maine woods. But since neither of us got good photos of those birds, they did not qualify as "Best Bird" for Carl. Had our Puffin Boat Tour not been cancelled due to weather, we might be able to offer up a Puffin as a best bird. The cancellation of that tour just gives us more impetus to schedule a return trip to Maine sooner! <br />
<br />
Carl then asked me what was my Best Bird for SC. For that, I could name "our" injured Pomarine Jaeger at Breach Inlet from July.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LO4NWz51LPs9Q0p4Fhzo4w8LAgFQDdF6MZeQeDquvgNpx2Qy6IkIVFbh9UbBq3RhuvifCf4VnSj-pZMNxh9rTUU1siVgRScOpfSIDSX0IhzpiqixW5Hpf95pu8jbbXZzeb9VrvDSX8-q/s1600/IMG_8366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LO4NWz51LPs9Q0p4Fhzo4w8LAgFQDdF6MZeQeDquvgNpx2Qy6IkIVFbh9UbBq3RhuvifCf4VnSj-pZMNxh9rTUU1siVgRScOpfSIDSX0IhzpiqixW5Hpf95pu8jbbXZzeb9VrvDSX8-q/s1600/IMG_8366.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pomarine Jaeger -- Breach Inlet, Sullivan's Island, SC -- July 11, 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
But that would not be based just on photography or the fact that it is a Life Bird. We were rooting for Mr. Bold Personality's survival once he was transported to a rehabilitation center. You can read more about him in the following blog posts: <a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/07/look-what-hurricane-authur-blew-in-one.html" target="_blank">"</a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/07/look-what-hurricane-authur-blew-in-one.html" target="_blank">Look What Hurricane Authur Blew In -- One Week Later!"</a> and <a href="update:%20Look%20What%20Hurricane%20Arthur%20Blew%20In%20--%20Pomarine%20Jaeger" target="_blank">"Update: Look What Hurricane Arthur Blew In -- Pomarine Jaeger"</a> and </span><a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/08/update-health-report-on-convalescing.html" target="_blank">"</a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/08/update-health-report-on-convalescing.html" target="_blank">Update: Health Report on Convalescing Pomarine Jaeger" </a>and finally and sadly, a memorial post, </span><a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/10/goodbye-to-rugged-and-handsome-pomarine.html" target="_blank">"</a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/10/goodbye-to-rugged-and-handsome-pomarine.html" target="_blank">Goodbye to the Rugged and Handsome Pomarine Jaeger."</a> Yes, I was a bit enamored of this particular bird. Though I found him handsome, he was not the looker that this Long-tailed Duc</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">k was!</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> He was another Life Bird spotted on Sullivan's Island last February!</span></div>
<div class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRpm28B8EElLJ21iglZfZC07zQAeShZ6BNciyIMgnDzDWlqPi4s9PwyqkQ3jfgxC9_iGHyhsRFvjEsFSPBs55Kh7XL2id1OstKxh1EIcz5GmlDfqHR01Sfsr84TkDMhczwj9D7q52IUhB/s1600/ltdu-0333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRpm28B8EElLJ21iglZfZC07zQAeShZ6BNciyIMgnDzDWlqPi4s9PwyqkQ3jfgxC9_iGHyhsRFvjEsFSPBs55Kh7XL2id1OstKxh1EIcz5GmlDfqHR01Sfsr84TkDMhczwj9D7q52IUhB/s1600/ltdu-0333.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long-tailed Duck -- Sullivan's Island, SC -- February 2, 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> If personality counts in the equation for Best Bird over Life Bird Status, then this banded Piping Plover is certainly a contender. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_NMidmRAEYZBRFxGhpJ8idVn-pNjUh3BK0NN80QUs7mpGSICwx0KMAp0s571KAPoLCFUL-DP6Yb5Ky2Z-nRK7qBEbnJSL6_rSiuHvvZo5RcvhUHqfCGAU68QTXKjbAxrvaXPb7a6ejCI/s1600/pipl_banded-2271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_NMidmRAEYZBRFxGhpJ8idVn-pNjUh3BK0NN80QUs7mpGSICwx0KMAp0s571KAPoLCFUL-DP6Yb5Ky2Z-nRK7qBEbnJSL6_rSiuHvvZo5RcvhUHqfCGAU68QTXKjbAxrvaXPb7a6ejCI/s1600/pipl_banded-2271.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piping Plover -- Folly Beach County Park -- November 8, 2014 </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2o-WURF6Jqd3TKxsHqthm3ZoYL9lssw1THO54IT8rhc65KHAAwBBZgUOpTM9MWalKYUCFEAQHuc0SNdhlg3ZLTAokFqhyphenhyphenmvSoAbiudRh8RUyaTObzktEflsijztdBAkAwXOuezIKyoaIX/s1600/pipl_banded-2310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2o-WURF6Jqd3TKxsHqthm3ZoYL9lssw1THO54IT8rhc65KHAAwBBZgUOpTM9MWalKYUCFEAQHuc0SNdhlg3ZLTAokFqhyphenhyphenmvSoAbiudRh8RUyaTObzktEflsijztdBAkAwXOuezIKyoaIX/s1600/pipl_banded-2310.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piping Plover -- Folly Beach County Park -- November 8, 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">This bird knew we were watching him. As he fed up and down the beach in front of us, he would turn and face us bobbing his head as though to say, "Yeah, I am interesting. What of it!" You just got to love a bold bird with attitude. We sent the band information into the <a href="https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/bblretrv/" target="_blank">Bird Banding Laboratory</a> in hopes that we would hear more about this bird. Every time we see a banded bird, we report it. Once again, we received another enthusiastic response from the bander herself, Alice van Zoeren, from the Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team from the University of Minnesota. You can learn more about their work on their site: <a href="http://www.waterbirds.umn.edu/Piping_Plovers/piping1.htm" target="_blank">Great Lakes Waterbird Research Program -- Piping Plovers</a>. She was thrilled that we had reported her bird as it certainly helps these researchers track these threatened bird populations! She shared with us the following information on this particular quirky individual:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">The plover you saw at Folly Beach hatched at Wasaga Beach in Ontario,
Canada in 2010 and came to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in
2012 to breed. He has the amusing habit of incubating rocks until his
mate lays some real eggs. Guess he just can't wait to have something to
sit on. I'll attach a photo I took of him protecting his "nest". </span></i></span></div>
<div class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<br />
And here are some photos that Alice sent to us of this eager Papa bird!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSECqSzvXgs4fcBtSy7l3Q2ZJiBBIyzMCHtclSj7VxkSRpTMSefwIRVNIWvi71SiaEBqpSYk_JuIF0LqG_IBQxpZT3lG5JMtA-gy_Pv4Xr9LAbrzupN3f4oUqnt2N1U0zt6Fg7X3c1YlYk/s1600/PN3,+Rock+nest+and+X,B+Of,OB,++5-3-2013+12-35-39+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSECqSzvXgs4fcBtSy7l3Q2ZJiBBIyzMCHtclSj7VxkSRpTMSefwIRVNIWvi71SiaEBqpSYk_JuIF0LqG_IBQxpZT3lG5JMtA-gy_Pv4Xr9LAbrzupN3f4oUqnt2N1U0zt6Fg7X3c1YlYk/s1600/PN3,+Rock+nest+and+X,B+Of,OB,++5-3-2013+12-35-39+PM.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Piping Plover's practice nest for incubating -- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore, Michigan -- May 3, 2013 -- Photo by Alice van Zoeren</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XonMpb8Feb6jz3TNjO4dFjcmDZy-ZzVAP2DocauYV4ybONSmDOmfaOT3T7PF5cA-ngkMd250R3x3GzAJWWFja0kBW-0Ayd-YnZUNm2dbOH0YEWupSywTnWgxyhWBHNwH9qqx0njG6xzr/s1600/PN3,+Rock+nest+and+X,B+Of,OB,++5-3-2013+12-38-21+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XonMpb8Feb6jz3TNjO4dFjcmDZy-ZzVAP2DocauYV4ybONSmDOmfaOT3T7PF5cA-ngkMd250R3x3GzAJWWFja0kBW-0Ayd-YnZUNm2dbOH0YEWupSywTnWgxyhWBHNwH9qqx0njG6xzr/s1600/PN3,+Rock+nest+and+X,B+Of,OB,++5-3-2013+12-38-21+PM.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Piping Plover practices incubating on rocks while waiting on his mate to lay the eggs -- Sleeping Bear Dunes
National Seashore, Michigan -- May 3, 2013 -- Photo by Alice van Zoeren</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xbssUeY0etddJS3-31IHkHrrZeIgwguNBvUvFsZpzHQcfAygL7QkuQyrj6W_phiInnj5r52TaCgIwDHmbzluPDF7fVVSId4JVorKYU9CEBfDNjvucIfi923HJn4mQJzyJsJyrODfbNDU/s1600/PN5m,+X,B+Of,OB,++7-4-2012+9-21-18+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xbssUeY0etddJS3-31IHkHrrZeIgwguNBvUvFsZpzHQcfAygL7QkuQyrj6W_phiInnj5r52TaCgIwDHmbzluPDF7fVVSId4JVorKYU9CEBfDNjvucIfi923HJn4mQJzyJsJyrODfbNDU/s1600/PN5m,+X,B+Of,OB,++7-4-2012+9-21-18+AM.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piping Plover on his summer grounds at the Sleeping Bear Dunes
National Seashore, Michigan -- July 4, 2012 -- Photo by Alice van Zoeren</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now you have to love a "Mr. Personality" bird with an interesting story! So indeed, he has earned a Best Bird status! <br />
<br />
Truly, there are a few more stories of "Best Birds" for 2014. Do you have a Best Bird? Please feel free to share your Best Bird story below. How fun it is to reminisce on another well-spent birding year! But we should not limit these ruminations to "Best Bird." After all, sometimes it is not just about a bird, but about the birding experience. In my next post, I will recall some of my favorite birding moments of the year!<br />
<br />
Until then, Happy Birding in the New Year to all! <br />
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<br /></div>
Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-81714612007563964682014-11-30T06:05:00.000-05:002014-12-01T05:10:51.746-05:00Pluff Mud Perspectives Offers Calendars for Sale to Benefit Charleston Audubon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbIfr4V_s9seSjg3Y0gfiqPy8TUcbIWiR6X-NtAz7yRpfgIqLxTWLPCfhQoNdhwos4xnAwANBPuqBvAutSacmi3vZJnZd55tJ-7V34i5oV-yHhayq_XGiAit_vEyTUpxY536G7JjpJRYS/s1600/calendar2015-8910.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbIfr4V_s9seSjg3Y0gfiqPy8TUcbIWiR6X-NtAz7yRpfgIqLxTWLPCfhQoNdhwos4xnAwANBPuqBvAutSacmi3vZJnZd55tJ-7V34i5oV-yHhayq_XGiAit_vEyTUpxY536G7JjpJRYS/s1600/calendar2015-8910.JPG" height="320" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yes, I did say calendars! For many years I have been creating nature calendars as Christmas
gifts for family and friends. They have now become a much anticipated Christmas tradition. I am flattered to say that some of my family and friends have actually cut the pictures out and framed the images for home decor.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> About 3 years ago, Charleston Natural
History Society (aka Charleston Audubon) began buying them to sell at the <a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/11/attention-friends-time-for-annual.html" target="_blank">Annual Holiday Oyster Roast</a>. This
year, I am now able to make them available for sale on-line with no financial risk to myself or to Charleston Audubon. All of this is possible due to a change in the printing company to <a href="http://createphotocalendars.com/">CreatePhotoCalendars.com</a>. Careful! If you want to check out MY calendars, there are a few direct links below! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">First, let me tell you about your options. There are 2 versions -- named Southern Currents & Pluff Mud Perspectives -- and 2 sizes of the wall calendars. Then, there are 2 versions of the desk calendars, also named correspondingly -- Southern Currents and Pluff Mud Perspectives. The desk calendars follow the same basic designs as the wall calendars with a few changes in the photo selection. Both versions of these calendars
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--></style><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">give a peek at
nature as I have seen it from late 2013 through 2014. Most of the photos celebrate birds and other wildlife of the beautiful South Carolina Lowcountry. A few images come from my 2014 summer trips
to Tennessee, Maine and New Brunswick. These calendars ar</span>e printed
on high quality </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> photo </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">cardstock and hold their shape well when hung on the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This product has Cathy's seal of approval for
quality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can promise you that I am darn fussy! <b>I am donating all proceeds
from the sale of this calendar to the <a href="http://www.charlestonaudubon.org/" target="_blank">Charleston Natural History Society (aka Charleston Audubon),</a> a
chapter of the <a href="http://www.audubon.org/" target="_blank">National Audubon Societ</a>y, to support its educational programs as
well as to support the <a href="http://www.charlestonaudubon.org/mcalhany.html" target="_blank">McAlhany Nature Preserve.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Warning:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Southern Currents Wall calendar has a handsome photo of an Eastern Cottonmouth (snake).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For the squeamish, I recommend the Pluff Mud Perspectives Calendar which has no snakes. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Without further ado, I reveal the list of links to the page where you can preview and purchase these calendars. Think Christmas gifts! And remember that if you give this calendar, you are giving twice -- once to the recipient and once to Charleston Audubon. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="http://www.createphotocalendars.com/Store/Southern+Currents+Calendar+2015-169721334" target="_blank">Southern Currents Nature Calendar 2015 (wall)</a></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="http://www.createphotocalendars.com/Store/Southern+Currents+Desk+Calendar+2015-9308497027" target="_blank">Southern Currents Nature Calendar 2015 (desk)</a></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.createphotocalendars.com/Store/Pluff+Mud+Perspectives+Nature+Calendar+2015-5093375113" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Pluff Mud Perspectives Nature Calendar 2015 (wall)</span></span></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span>
<a href="http://www.createphotocalendars.com/Store/Pluff+Mud+Perspectives+Desk+Calendar+2015-4516628202" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Pluff Mud Perspectives Nature Calendar (desk)</span></span></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">To all family and friends who have regularly received the calendar as a gift: Yes, you are still receiving a calendar this year from me. But perchance you have wished in the past that you could make gifts of the calendar that you enjoy each year. Well, now you can! Do not hesitate to take a peek and purchase the calendars for people on your gift list. The tradition continues -- you are still on my list.</span><br />
<br />
<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-63037825198538595142014-11-28T20:56:00.000-05:002014-11-30T05:54:49.942-05:00Attention Friends: Time for the Annual Charleston Audubon Holiday Oyster Roast!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Advertising the Best Oyster Roast in the Lowcountry -- Photo Credit: <i>Lesser Squawk, </i>November/December 2014</td></tr>
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<b>Do not miss Charleston Natural History Society's (aka Charleston Audubon)</b> <b>Annual Holiday Party -Fundraiser - Oyster Roast -- December 7, 2014, from 2 to 5 pm at Bowens Island!</b> <br />
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Wow! I feel for all of the blog readers who do not live her locally in the Charleston area. You are going to miss out! <a href="http://www.charlestonaudubon.org/" target="_blank">Charleston Audubon</a> is once again hosting the BEST Oyster Roast at the BEST Possible Oyster Roast location, <a href="http://www.bowensislandrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Bowens Island</a> (talk about local flavor -- this place is quintessential down-home, coastal Lowcountry), with the BEST Oysters. Why are they the best oysters? We are going to be slurping down the tastiest Lowcountry, Pluff Mud grown oysters available with a s<span style="font-size: small;">erene</span> down home view of the creeks and marsh where these babies are harvested. I have eaten oysters from France, New Brunswick, New Jersey, Florida and Louisiana and I can say that these scrumptious Lowcountry oysters are the richest in flavor. The secret lies in the Pluff Mud, you know. You have not truly experienced the best of this critter until you have tried ours!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charleston Audubon enjoys Bowens Island oyster at annual oyster roast -- December 8, 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juicy Lowcountry Oyster -- </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shapely Lowcountry Oyster</td></tr>
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For those of you who do not partake in oysters, there will be several varieties of homemade chili, breads and yummy holiday desserts to fill you tummies. And to assuage your thirst, we offer soda. There will also be a keg for those who like beer. Donations are appreciated. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZzFny40QDDIK7ybCsvhj8qMrj1s8pSIFveZDPjd8OX42ruGRFm3RrXz4fvdYvujqc-ypCwLOe3TctqHX5ZNSx1FTtPSwh0dVMjsYpX8eeq_NONZMEEg5aFUwgoaxZBIM4uko342jg4H9/s1600/oyster+roasat-2570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZzFny40QDDIK7ybCsvhj8qMrj1s8pSIFveZDPjd8OX42ruGRFm3RrXz4fvdYvujqc-ypCwLOe3TctqHX5ZNSx1FTtPSwh0dVMjsYpX8eeq_NONZMEEg5aFUwgoaxZBIM4uko342jg4H9/s1600/oyster+roasat-2570.JPG" height="376" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liquid Sunshine adds to the ambiance-- view from the covered dock where the roasted oysters are served at Bowen's Island CNHS Holiday Oyster Roast 2012 -- December 9, 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brother Jimmy comes by boat sometimes -- Photo taken from dock at Bowens Island Restaurant -- CNHS Holiday Oyster Roast 2012 -- December 9, 2012<br />
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Not only will we be enjoying oysters, chili and views, we will also be entertained with the wonderful music of the talented duo, Dan Rainey and Dallas Corbett from the band, <a href="http://www.wrenwoodmusic.com/" target="_blank">Wrenwood</a>. This is a treat well worth the entry fee with or without oysters, chili, and view.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrenwood -- December 9, 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wrenwoodmusic.com/home" target="_blank">Wrenwood </a>-- the most excellent band that plays for the Charleston Audubon Oyster Roast -- December 8, 2013</td></tr>
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That's not all, folks! We are also offering a fabulous gift selection via Silent Auction. You can find the perfect Christmas gift here. Make the winning bid and you will come away with a great gift and the knowledge that your dollars are going to support our educational programs and our preservation efforts on our <a href="http://www.charlestonaudubon.org/mcalhany.html" target="_blank">McAlhany Nature Preserve</a>. <br />
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Now you can pre-pay for $25 per person for all you can eat or pay $30 at the door using <a href="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/aa289e3954f4112ee3b36f706/files/CNHS_OysterRoast_2014_1_.pdf" target="_blank">this printable online form</a>. <span style="font-size: small;">Alternately, you can go to the <a href="http://www.charlestonaudubon.org/" target="_blank">Charleston Audubon webpage</a> and
click the "donate" button, then send $25 per person through PayPal (you
don't need to be a PayPal member); your name will be logged along with
the donation. Tickets will not be mailed. Instead, a list of pre-paid names will be at the door. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Just picture it -- being outdoors on the coast on a southern December afternoon with that soothing view which has inspired many an artist, with the aroma of the Pluff Mud marsh combined with the delicious smell of steamed Lowcountry oysters, the camaraderie of fellow nature lovers, the fab music with local mucisians, and a little spicy chili, yummy desserts -- there's no beating it! You should all come -- those who live near and far! Do not miss out! If you live a piece down the road, come make a weekend of it with the oyster roast being your final stop before heading back home. You will not regret it! <b>See you there Sunday, December 7, from 2 - 5 pm! </b></span><br />
<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-19869877499243926962014-11-25T09:33:00.000-05:002014-11-25T09:38:57.661-05:00Christmas is coming! Calling all Birders! Christmas is Coming!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birders, Roger Smith and Brad Dalton, on the 2013 Santee CBC -- Santee National Wildlife Refuge -- December 20. 2013</td></tr>
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Yee haw! Yes, Christmas is coming! And all birders should be doubly excited -- I know that I am! Not only do we celebrate this important holiday in all the traditional ways -- spending time with family & friends, feasting, caroling, decorating, going to see the lights, shopping, etc. -- we birders have an extra little spark of excitement in our eyes as we anticipate 3 weeks, from December 14 to January 5, of Christmas Bird Counts! South Carolina serves as a wintering destination for many species that breed further north. This 115 year old Citizen Science project serves a worthy purpose as we take a census of these birds in their winter habitat. The data accumulated via these counts help scientists to estimate the health and viability of bird populations and then serve to inform important decisions on methods needed for conservation.<br />
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To help those of you who do not know much about Christmas Bird Counts, I have found 6 short videos on the Audubon site to help you learn more about this rich (and exciting!) opportunity to experience the great outdoors, to see fabulous birds and to contribute to their welfare by participating in a count. The first 2 videos embedded below will help you to understand the history of this wonderful annual event. <br />
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The video below tells the story of one of our oldest birders in the US. It is an endearing film. I hope that I am still birding with my beat-up binoculars when I am that old! Watch and be inspired!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/71432056" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/71432056">Audubon's Christmas Bird Count told by Chan Robbins</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user12984509">Audubon Science</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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And kids! We need to encourage the children to go find the birds with us! They are the future care-takers of this planet and we need to engage their interest in the beauty and in the necessity of conserving our natural world. When you watch this video, you will see how one Audubon member in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is helping local children to learn about the importance of birds.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/72359382" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/72359382">Kids who bird on Audubon's Christmas Bird Count</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user12984509">Audubon Science</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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The next video will show you what a South Texas Christmas Bird Count looks like both out in the field and at the countdown afterwards. Not all Christmas Bird Counts can host countdowns but the feelings of camaraderie and satisfaction are strong in a room of birders having completed the counts for their territories! It is a positive experience indeed! <br />
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The next two videos show what it is like to count birds during an irruptive year. An irruptive year is one in which massive numbers of normally northern dwelling birds move further south than usual. This most often occurs when food supplies are insufficient in their normal winter habitats. The first of these two videos shows a birder in the snow-covered North Woods of Maine. You cannot help but note the sheer joy in this man's expressions as he listens and looks for species which in irruptive years move down from Canada! <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/90747832" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/90747832">Christmas Bird Count Irruptive Species</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user12984509">Audubon Science</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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This second of these 2 videos on irruptive species carries an inspirational message as photographer, Bob Sacha, talks about and shows his photos of irruptive owls. Watch this one and you will be awed and hopefully moved to action.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/87768951" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/87768951">Audubon CBC-IrruptiveSpecies@BobSacha</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user12984509">Audubon Science</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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As he says, these birds are the messengers, and it is our responsibility to act on the message! And we can start by doing such activities as participating in Christmas Bird Counts and in sharing our love of birding and our desire to conserve the planet for all life forms.<br />
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Finally, while writing this post, I found one more video on Christmas Bird Counts, called <i>Counting on Birds</i>. <br />
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<a href="http://video.nhptv.org/video/2365128454/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://video.nhptv.org/video/2365128454/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TcZCTbFs-m8ntGCr-2HVVSBxa09a8s3qkwZuCcmaOwKfZfVI86-zShm6ek837dbq4BvJyX8ze-hFntUs7DRDC1w2Ik4i8x1s8bojxCDa0gtd_lXW8dOw3Mkrrg1HD1-AmJpq7T08GG9K/s1600/cob-logo.jpg" height="158" width="320" /></a></div>
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This special hour long documentary, which first aired last Fall on New Hampshire Public Television, was produced by <a href="http://www.nhptv.org/windows/#.VHRy9sm9a0U" target="_blank">NHPT's Windows to the Wild with host Willem Lange</a>, (a impressive nature series similar to our <a href="http://www.scetv.org/index.php/press/pages/about_expeditions" target="_blank">SCETV's Patrick McMillan's Expeditions).</a> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNnMfBO1qWeLKCifEhjP2tnGpfxjapAfIJp5JbmTZClszfDm3d5_L9PuPOGd4lxodZ-wQ1dtzEJfgk_CfhQOEgQ1qkYRALm3GnyC5spnInkBbuW1ROEQQfQNR-5IlhKvJdOP72wxSbwrp/s1600/willem-on-trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNnMfBO1qWeLKCifEhjP2tnGpfxjapAfIJp5JbmTZClszfDm3d5_L9PuPOGd4lxodZ-wQ1dtzEJfgk_CfhQOEgQ1qkYRALm3GnyC5spnInkBbuW1ROEQQfQNR-5IlhKvJdOP72wxSbwrp/s1600/willem-on-trail.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willem Lange birding in New Hampshire during the filming of <i>Counting on Birds </i>-- Photo credit: New Hampshire Public Television</td></tr>
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The 30 second clip below serves as a short teaser.
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This show traces the history and the goals of the Audubon Christmas bird count and then depicts how people from New Hampshire, Ecuador and Cuba participate in the Christmas Bird Count! You can actually watch the whole program on line below within this blog.<br />
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Or better yet, by clicking on the <i>Counting on Birds </i>logo above, you can see the high definition version on the NHTV's site! For more on this documentary, visit the <a href="http://www.nhptv.org/birds/" target="_blank"><i>Counting on Birds </i>website</a>.<br />
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So, Calling all Birders -- novice, expert and everyone in-between! Christmas is coming! Christmas Bird Counts begin December 14. Once you begin, you cannot stop! I promise -- the CBCs give a whole new meaning to the Christmas season. You have a 3 week opportunity to get out and enjoy the great outdoors and help with the census taking on our wondrous birds. Local area (Charleston) residents interested in participating should check for information on <a href="http://www.charlestonaudubon.org/calendar.html" target="_blank">the calendar on the Charleston Audubon page</a>. Carolina birders can make use of the <a href="http://www.carolinabirdclub.org/christmas/" target="_blank">Carolina Bird Clubs list of Christmas Bird Counts</a> to find one close-by. Others should visit the <a href="http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count" target="_blank">National Audubon Christmas Bird Site</a> to find a count close to home and to learn more. Or, you can check with your local birding organizations.<br />
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Carl and I have presently signed up for 5 different counts within a 2 hour drive of home. I am contemplating adding a 6th one. This just may be my favorite time of year! If you could see me, you would see the gleam of excitement and anticipation in my eye. Come out and experience the joy with us in this best of treasure hunts -- Christmas Bird Counts! Calling all birders ..... <br />
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-43424679331295740932014-11-23T13:25:00.002-05:002014-11-23T13:25:36.812-05:00A Crisp Fall Day at Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnd4ELnTuVw2enH6W9m66rSz_FVuSkKaQFBClyj16IFejAbInTr2X5mHdI9aYGNGXA8B5Dx54dz2XE0gJ9D7yJVKh9ifuhqWdcL-6HhwZeGmhIgbSP3uuv3e9YbJxejPa-uvApFEnJk8jT/s1600/fall_foliage-8887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnd4ELnTuVw2enH6W9m66rSz_FVuSkKaQFBClyj16IFejAbInTr2X5mHdI9aYGNGXA8B5Dx54dz2XE0gJ9D7yJVKh9ifuhqWdcL-6HhwZeGmhIgbSP3uuv3e9YbJxejPa-uvApFEnJk8jT/s1600/fall_foliage-8887.JPG" height="441" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fall Foliage -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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Cool and crisp temperatures have descended upon us and I, for one, am delighted! Shorter days mean we must make the most of our opportunities to go outdoors and enjoy the beauty that nature provides to those who look. And yes, you do have to look a bit to find Fall color in the SC Lowcountry. But seek and ye shall find it at <a href="http://www.ccprc.com/index.aspx?nid=53" target="_blank">Caw Caw Interpretive Center</a> near Ravenel, SC.<br />
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Saturday a week ago, I decided to join up with the Saturday morning bird walk conducted at Caw Caw. When I arrived, the temperature was down in the upper 30s but the morning was warming nicely. My friend and birding buddy, Keith McCullough, naturalist for the Charleston County Parks was leading the walk. Fellow birder and member of Charleston Audubon, Patrick Markham was also in the group. As always, it is good to bird with people you know! There were a few others that I did not know. It is equally nice to bird with the newcomers, novices and experts alike. The novices bring a wonderment to the experience as they ooo and ahh over common species, and the experts help all to see the birds! The cool temperature and the chilly wind initially kept some of the smaller songbirds at bay. But we enjoyed the views of wading birds, gallinule, and ducks along the dikes. A Great Egret and Bald Eagle treated us to a couple of nice fly-byes. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bald Eagle -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Egret -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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A large flock of Fish Crows flew past the moon providing me with a nice photo op!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJtOhH-tuULLsef8x7zRS_gtRpiRj8VZFrdr8iXLc4v3J-UQZdS8GKC0Jb5e4ErXj2NHUEgKQG4nGaUFlJm2p7w9IsFdCg83IQx0cKNXxT9BXvZtai3H3mkNqtZa445R0xiKM8ZrmexKX/s1600/ficr-2347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJtOhH-tuULLsef8x7zRS_gtRpiRj8VZFrdr8iXLc4v3J-UQZdS8GKC0Jb5e4ErXj2NHUEgKQG4nGaUFlJm2p7w9IsFdCg83IQx0cKNXxT9BXvZtai3H3mkNqtZa445R0xiKM8ZrmexKX/s1600/ficr-2347.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish Crows and Moon -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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As I became caught up in the photographic potential that morning, I began to lag behind the group. This was certainly not a problem as I know my way around the park. <br />
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I stopped to watch a beautifully lit Great Blue Heron fishing in a canal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBMBk_KMMzg1fkDC3kitt0B1prTTGEUtg0sPcS9eYfmQtzZTcuzP6GdCmN_zLMSiE-P53rwFSu6Y4rw_YM8uuKhETo8HoQrX0QRCRm6oqWM2fDOzcOkIRI-itiTO7rmWQMKB_hJv7ao5b/s1600/gbhe-2393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBMBk_KMMzg1fkDC3kitt0B1prTTGEUtg0sPcS9eYfmQtzZTcuzP6GdCmN_zLMSiE-P53rwFSu6Y4rw_YM8uuKhETo8HoQrX0QRCRm6oqWM2fDOzcOkIRI-itiTO7rmWQMKB_hJv7ao5b/s1600/gbhe-2393.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Blue Heron -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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My presence and the shutter clicks did not distract the heron from his mission one bit. On the other hand, I presume that my shutter clicks did disturb some critter in the woods that began rustling about. Both the heron and I stopped and looked in the direction of the noise ....which also stopped for a moment. Thankfully, it was too cold for a gator to be thrashing about like that. So we, the heron and I, continued to go about our business -- he, searching for fish, and I taking some portrait shots when, all of a sudden, there came much more thrashing and then loud wing beats. A huge Wild turkey flew out of the woods right over the heron. He was gone in a moment. He was much too quick and my field of view too limited for me to capture him in a photo. What a cool sight it was though! A beautiful, exciting memory made to be recorded in words rather than in image. <br />
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The heron had no luck in the shallows and thus waded out to deeper waters. Here, he found success!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2cUGbfWcVhn0i84nN_OFnso5HrjKZKoB72G9HxNwSSMrDyU1KEYQiVZmNayGuIj_LzXVUYCLIUjeqby_dE84BAZRIHdRFWbMwByR5g4LwJ4UF4aQ_PXnM3YnFVxVdCcoJcxjVrS8CVar/s1600/gbhe-2396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2cUGbfWcVhn0i84nN_OFnso5HrjKZKoB72G9HxNwSSMrDyU1KEYQiVZmNayGuIj_LzXVUYCLIUjeqby_dE84BAZRIHdRFWbMwByR5g4LwJ4UF4aQ_PXnM3YnFVxVdCcoJcxjVrS8CVar/s1600/gbhe-2396.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Blue Heron head plunge -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqykMH8YZiMvXFOBNtsBhOd_dvHZZbZ9WcwbXvfn0jBjFoXKngfJ4FXbHK_Bw-8EOvCLrZJHk_l4wvcr5U9B_Zt7uT8vwjrB7nxGl0nEJL-IBbw31C9gzWy1WiLF5o8ssITg2v0BFyBaIk/s1600/gbhe-2402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqykMH8YZiMvXFOBNtsBhOd_dvHZZbZ9WcwbXvfn0jBjFoXKngfJ4FXbHK_Bw-8EOvCLrZJHk_l4wvcr5U9B_Zt7uT8vwjrB7nxGl0nEJL-IBbw31C9gzWy1WiLF5o8ssITg2v0BFyBaIk/s1600/gbhe-2402.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prey in beak -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9lOTRYeDjB5sTcPKa8ws-xV_-QOgF0jfRDVFwmBIw4_VX-ZIPK4D84L8s5YtVI3fJaYXTM37lJenN-g_plKBLfgoyfT3M9ApswWVok9UnT_BwMCLqqnRJdw-qZJAX1Lp2lMwmyRzaTfs/s1600/gbhe-2423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9lOTRYeDjB5sTcPKa8ws-xV_-QOgF0jfRDVFwmBIw4_VX-ZIPK4D84L8s5YtVI3fJaYXTM37lJenN-g_plKBLfgoyfT3M9ApswWVok9UnT_BwMCLqqnRJdw-qZJAX1Lp2lMwmyRzaTfs/s1600/gbhe-2423.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A contented. well-fed heron returns to the shallows -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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The group had long moved on. Inspired by the scenery and the wildlife, I was happy to be able to move about at my leisure and to attempt to capture the artistic beauty in the subtle signs of a Lowcountry Fall. Before leaving the dike area for the woods, I shot this towering top of groundsel shrub in its last fuzzy, glorious moment shining brilliantly in the sun. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxolBiyxCWUbOdylzI-3M2ayi-B8d94TpQWBrW1NR3wbsoXMD1ZQaFKFx16rbryEP9qVlepZATnVH9TIwch1YpcaOMgaYmlsIVpJ69xXKjLYjxBuYeJGv4wA6jSc9pL0fhvQpip00kOINo/s1600/groundsel-8891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxolBiyxCWUbOdylzI-3M2ayi-B8d94TpQWBrW1NR3wbsoXMD1ZQaFKFx16rbryEP9qVlepZATnVH9TIwch1YpcaOMgaYmlsIVpJ69xXKjLYjxBuYeJGv4wA6jSc9pL0fhvQpip00kOINo/s1600/groundsel-8891.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Groundsel, aka Sea-myrtle, a favorite with Monarch and Gulf Fritillary butterflies -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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Then, continuing to bird, I made my way towards the boardwalk in the swamp. By this time, it had warmed up a good bit. Out of the wind, the songbirds were a bit more active in the woods. I found plenty of Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Tufted Titmice, Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Blue-headed Vireos and Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets. But what really captured my attention and inspired my artistic impulses at the moment, were the bright red leaves of the Sweetgum and the Red Maple trees. A blend of red, orange, yellow and brown leaves carpeted the forest floor and the water's surface. The light shining through the red leaves with the blue backdrop of the sky reminded me of stain-glass masterpieces in the gothic cathedrals of France. Below you will find my attempts to capture Nature's annual chefs d'oeuvre.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5cNqQGdTdU3uZTUt4SgloDuYXdXDrKeL7DofmzZlYD33fskYQAjMNxl321m0_lx15l4Vm3TmPg0fgREWrBtDhtiVSmtXkgWLuaZHYmLjghkPoqDJ6r1gXvmDf9CyolOd9JHApvTc_VgM/s1600/fall_foliage-2430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5cNqQGdTdU3uZTUt4SgloDuYXdXDrKeL7DofmzZlYD33fskYQAjMNxl321m0_lx15l4Vm3TmPg0fgREWrBtDhtiVSmtXkgWLuaZHYmLjghkPoqDJ6r1gXvmDf9CyolOd9JHApvTc_VgM/s1600/fall_foliage-2430.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweetgum leaves -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPk8xcBDe74peD0gkmZEW_umzhUQWkb8Xi5wmFDKV0UxWPlpgIKhBgKifCcIl0IoaD-8qhuzy7tmFMsEMgN__hljTUNvpHY1PRZvc5oBmfQ1bZO-vcj8lCspR_Jj6q0YWM-gmej5rE7Czl/s1600/fall_foliage-2427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPk8xcBDe74peD0gkmZEW_umzhUQWkb8Xi5wmFDKV0UxWPlpgIKhBgKifCcIl0IoaD-8qhuzy7tmFMsEMgN__hljTUNvpHY1PRZvc5oBmfQ1bZO-vcj8lCspR_Jj6q0YWM-gmej5rE7Czl/s1600/fall_foliage-2427.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweetgum -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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A deeper hue of blue reflected off the dark water broken up by the fallen leaves reminded me of rich, dark tapestries. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Maple, Sweet Gum and Black Gum leaves -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I need some help identifying some of these leaves -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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A few brilliantly-lit leaves created enticing reflections on the water's surface. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweetgum -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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Making a circuitous route, I took the Swamp Sanctuary Trail towards the Laurel Hill settlement area and then the Rice Fields trail back towards the Interpretive Center. This choice provided me with even more opportunities to view and photograph Nature's colorful back-lit handiwork. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51__HtmcGozvFtj6TisSC0TodUMByUXuYlKz8nCpY29AqWoFCJMpEyl1YSTWt0VbjqEPxFygLyfjgncq6LeKyPQ7J6Tl1HvRsf-oyb2egzBTnjAJvhVbp9Y5moUW6Re3dbIg5FnMso7bL/s1600/fall_foliage-2444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51__HtmcGozvFtj6TisSC0TodUMByUXuYlKz8nCpY29AqWoFCJMpEyl1YSTWt0VbjqEPxFygLyfjgncq6LeKyPQ7J6Tl1HvRsf-oyb2egzBTnjAJvhVbp9Y5moUW6Re3dbIg5FnMso7bL/s1600/fall_foliage-2444.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Maple leaves -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FOAYMIh557Y7H5wxzG6DKiHeQ7QyVWH14BvPvJ3Io7ug-eKBRu35V6pJigvzK71eUqwpvvwUtwe2bd3fIE_txuylRC3DYXhgIcyKWIFs3L81oZlzhpkFKjwphD-qVyife5uTM8a6J1R0/s1600/fall_foliage-2446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FOAYMIh557Y7H5wxzG6DKiHeQ7QyVWH14BvPvJ3Io7ug-eKBRu35V6pJigvzK71eUqwpvvwUtwe2bd3fIE_txuylRC3DYXhgIcyKWIFs3L81oZlzhpkFKjwphD-qVyife5uTM8a6J1R0/s1600/fall_foliage-2446.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweetgum -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrbL6DausQekyW4EIlr0ZPpCYw4NhZp4EMY4bEE3DLNMfQ9hRbdvVWBvzdvX5Kq56ABpni5EJWMlKZqn8TKZUhNAwWYcjPQPRB5xcHZ4eE_Z9br7cT8CX9mAiqFEga8_dDL0MsMfDUdI8e/s1600/fall_foliage-2527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrbL6DausQekyW4EIlr0ZPpCYw4NhZp4EMY4bEE3DLNMfQ9hRbdvVWBvzdvX5Kq56ABpni5EJWMlKZqn8TKZUhNAwWYcjPQPRB5xcHZ4eE_Z9br7cT8CX9mAiqFEga8_dDL0MsMfDUdI8e/s1600/fall_foliage-2527.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweetgum -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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I also found a small flock of White-Throated Sparrows who sadly did not cooperate for a photo. Nor did the Swamp Sparrow, the flushed American Bittern, the Common Gallinule or the Song Sparrows. Not willing to be outdone by a bunch of dieing foliage, this perky Northern Cardinal provided his own version of bright red, posing quite nicely for several shots. The best of which is below.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6t_Y0CrUenhx0jR9NbhwJUE_I8zlopBifEgxWxNz6ku1zdJZTcb9DqleNIjtC4FLNiBv7NB7CFoQbifY7PbnUtyXZbBtFY2UO8sX0ydZOv-imXI0AXA1PtilXzfuIDcSpXFYchcDGkVf/s1600/noca-2681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6t_Y0CrUenhx0jR9NbhwJUE_I8zlopBifEgxWxNz6ku1zdJZTcb9DqleNIjtC4FLNiBv7NB7CFoQbifY7PbnUtyXZbBtFY2UO8sX0ydZOv-imXI0AXA1PtilXzfuIDcSpXFYchcDGkVf/s1600/noca-2681.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Cardinal -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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This Ruby-crowned Kinglet either had no ruby crown to flash or was simply unwilling.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyjV4xdKY_NLS5V6-EgygYNavNhSNRaojM3wrFaTrurgx2qr8wtaVfWhgiUx8_1cbegiHTWP3t3HT5HsyJx5BgVT366mbcZ0EmBLtgNsq6MxSNzlEgH5OsH2H9yMw-_B6rVUR-ffMHMjG/s1600/rcki-2710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyjV4xdKY_NLS5V6-EgygYNavNhSNRaojM3wrFaTrurgx2qr8wtaVfWhgiUx8_1cbegiHTWP3t3HT5HsyJx5BgVT366mbcZ0EmBLtgNsq6MxSNzlEgH5OsH2H9yMw-_B6rVUR-ffMHMjG/s1600/rcki-2710.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby-crowned Kinglet -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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At this point, the birds began to garner more of my attention again. And this is when I got my Bird of the Day! Not 50 feet from me, perched on a short bare tree out in the marsh, I found this fabulous juvenile Sharp-Shinned Hawk!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XaiViHA9XTgoT0kVobWLn2M7H5sfR6qwCfud-Pp5xSpJviSBk-HZshBM5G4FVdSIewZYJlG3r10aXlE3QpGtakuaITClP1x2HZ3molYk2OPvki4WOTVCLMZ7xVTbui2BJcg7Oq09DDr7/s1600/ssha-2465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XaiViHA9XTgoT0kVobWLn2M7H5sfR6qwCfud-Pp5xSpJviSBk-HZshBM5G4FVdSIewZYJlG3r10aXlE3QpGtakuaITClP1x2HZ3molYk2OPvki4WOTVCLMZ7xVTbui2BJcg7Oq09DDr7/s1600/ssha-2465.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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I was pretty sure that he was a Sharpie due to his tiny size. But I looked for other features, which were difficult to discern due to the fact that he was grossly backlit. The notch in his tail was another indicator of Sharpie. And his small head and broad shoulders pointed to Sharpie. Thankfully, he accommodated me by flying to another nearby perch. His wingbeats were erratic and quick and in flight he looked to be the size of a dove. On his new perch, I was able to see the coarse striping on his breast and I caught a glimpse of his pencil-thin legs. By this point, I was convinced of my ID -- he was a beautiful Sharp-shinned Hawk who patiently allowed me multiple shots.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg834VhPL8bnFZKxkfZ1nWz4NxHnmPcZ31GIDZH4LbyzXEBSugL5XgiN0VVETn4hiWL-u4wgR7qIa887QvP1umNkJyr5Fz-IHYhiYXa4rOdxnWxJlo7QztWYrFKvhe71n-o7uXeZmUMpGtu/s1600/ssha-2509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg834VhPL8bnFZKxkfZ1nWz4NxHnmPcZ31GIDZH4LbyzXEBSugL5XgiN0VVETn4hiWL-u4wgR7qIa887QvP1umNkJyr5Fz-IHYhiYXa4rOdxnWxJlo7QztWYrFKvhe71n-o7uXeZmUMpGtu/s1600/ssha-2509.JPG" height="640" width="484" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharp-shinned Hawk -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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Though the next photo is not as sharp, it does give a peek at his pencil-thin legs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz24vuXO68ARZRqzrwZwFHyOSg3uxRMIRnj6HE6KDGwxpr0pvtXNAqvcdTTkD_wQvRMLleJiUntBJRBmnQXVe7ziQxQ-KkEYxw3FlhdHfvKvsMdQRVFXu7_vPtCb_tiFLkzdzjolndWoFp/s1600/ssha-2525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz24vuXO68ARZRqzrwZwFHyOSg3uxRMIRnj6HE6KDGwxpr0pvtXNAqvcdTTkD_wQvRMLleJiUntBJRBmnQXVe7ziQxQ-KkEYxw3FlhdHfvKvsMdQRVFXu7_vPtCb_tiFLkzdzjolndWoFp/s1600/ssha-2525.jpg" height="614" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharp-shinned Hawk with a view of his pencil-thin legs and coarse belly streaks -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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What a wonderful Fall morning! Caw Caw, as always, provided a feast for the eyes and the soul. My morning blend of being with birders and then being solo was perfect for me that day. My busy schedule has kept inside working more than I would like. Thus, this excursion was a wonderful reprieve -- time to share in a passion with fellow birders and then to also have solo time to contemplate nature's treasures -- the flora, the fauna and the scenery. I returned home, renewed and serene. Thank you Caw Caw!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5qQoC8rmdijR9Y7rkrizME5Ol0BJJtwxWKMyC51uDNfgsdrXTGKL6pfIpubWsQeavWTTUkbIkXOR0lIKKqiS7Baw0JMBUzce8fY3jBKB9Ofq63Kj_zAiEzKczcUy5SZVKe-7W526sz5C/s1600/fall_foliage-2714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5qQoC8rmdijR9Y7rkrizME5Ol0BJJtwxWKMyC51uDNfgsdrXTGKL6pfIpubWsQeavWTTUkbIkXOR0lIKKqiS7Baw0JMBUzce8fY3jBKB9Ofq63Kj_zAiEzKczcUy5SZVKe-7W526sz5C/s1600/fall_foliage-2714.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet gum leaves -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 15, 2014</td></tr>
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<br />Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-5298853024956287722014-10-12T10:05:00.001-04:002014-10-12T10:05:27.457-04:00A Morning of Bird Banding at KIBS -- Sunday, October 5<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLiBTKO9YcyovU-2nP4jEkqtm-phBF3snihz8UuyA9mHrsR9nziKZLAZmqzaHuP2_G6lVJ6qmPer1QB4lutz_A92e9fLIZbVTMiPgkHR29JYloo9woOXi4rGUssjl9zAibzoW2PGQvCUbC/s1600/KIBS-8629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLiBTKO9YcyovU-2nP4jEkqtm-phBF3snihz8UuyA9mHrsR9nziKZLAZmqzaHuP2_G6lVJ6qmPer1QB4lutz_A92e9fLIZbVTMiPgkHR29JYloo9woOXi4rGUssjl9zAibzoW2PGQvCUbC/s1600/KIBS-8629.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KIBS Team after first run of the nets - Libby Natola, Matt Arnold, Chris Davies, Will Oakley, Mattie VandenBoom, Aaron, Given </td></tr>
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The weather forecast for last Sunday, October 5, had called for very cool temperatures with a wind out of the north -- ideal conditions for Fall bird migration. My birding buddy Aaron Given, wildlife biologist for the town of Kiawah Island and master bird bander extraordinaire for the Kiawah Island Banding Station (KIBS), was expecting a major fallout and placed a call for volunteers to help at the banding station. Being outdoors at daybreak on a crisp fall morning, full of bird chatter, count me in!<br />
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For those readers who do not know much about the KIBS operation, I invite you to check out <b><a href="http://kiawahislandbanding.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">their website</a></b> where they post daily reports on their banding activity. You can also learn more about bird banding in general from 2 previous posts written here in this blog, <b><a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2011/10/birding-up-close-and-personal-bird.html" target="_blank">Birding Up Close and Personal -- Bird Banding 101 -- Part 1</a></b> and <b><a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2011/10/birding-up-close-and-personal-bird_24.html" target="_blank">Part 2</a></b>. <br />
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Back to last Sunday!: When Aaron drove myself and Chris Davies, another volunteer, out to the banding station, his team had already arrived and had set up the nets. As we crossed the dune line, we suddenly heard 2 Eastern Whip-poor-will calling! Ah -- the sweet sound of the Whip-poor-will! I had not heard one of those since childhood days at camp! Listen to this recording that I found on YouTube by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/NoctuVide/featured" target="_blank">NoctuVide</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBv7qvoy1E_-jGVP7-bSFz-PXhPC7liyp65X156O5Z6XUOuChr5KnHL68-afyhQvO9UuObP2PAaJ6PLQ0VQ_9j4KyMdRTeaz74_FwxrVNSeUA5rcHU6qyT3R52xHfVB_n9ktI5ARFhWCq/s1600/wpwi-8662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBv7qvoy1E_-jGVP7-bSFz-PXhPC7liyp65X156O5Z6XUOuChr5KnHL68-afyhQvO9UuObP2PAaJ6PLQ0VQ_9j4KyMdRTeaz74_FwxrVNSeUA5rcHU6qyT3R52xHfVB_n9ktI5ARFhWCq/s1600/wpwi-8662.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Whip-poor-will, KIBS, Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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This bird appears docile enough. Just look at that tiny beak on that big bird! As an insectivore, you may wonder how on earth he could consume enough bugs to support that substantially bigger body. Ah but looks are deceiving! He appeared much fiercer when he stretched his wings.... almost owl-like!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4awvj0ifIFpSUozvtOPLYZ4QjOApl6VUpTt8xBZU-eL8x7XJXDnfAWD3XU_daUSvN4Ua1i4E_mhPAF3koKSpamxPAOAE-af8ZOJRux3FukjaqT3y98c_s7KCe_01o3er03mpFS7q9BuS9/s1600/wpwi-8667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4awvj0ifIFpSUozvtOPLYZ4QjOApl6VUpTt8xBZU-eL8x7XJXDnfAWD3XU_daUSvN4Ua1i4E_mhPAF3koKSpamxPAOAE-af8ZOJRux3FukjaqT3y98c_s7KCe_01o3er03mpFS7q9BuS9/s1600/wpwi-8667.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Whip-poor-will, banded at KIBS, Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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Now, imagine this flying at you with his large gape wide open!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgXebwtX1WTm108hkHtaCZXACt1GWQGdvfK198yx_xcQdO4LPYzToY3Cnn-olsHL8ieIXyGHPTlau6c_5hj5LIFrUxgVwUITEj_Wj8cEENqsGOMZhYkFUzzdxN6chfSj5oO4DgQvjotEA/s1600/Eastern+Whip-poor-will.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgXebwtX1WTm108hkHtaCZXACt1GWQGdvfK198yx_xcQdO4LPYzToY3Cnn-olsHL8ieIXyGHPTlau6c_5hj5LIFrUxgVwUITEj_Wj8cEENqsGOMZhYkFUzzdxN6chfSj5oO4DgQvjotEA/s1600/Eastern+Whip-poor-will.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Whip-poor-will, banded at KIBS, Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014 -- Photo by Aaron Given</td></tr>
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And that is exactly how this bird consumes enough insects to support his larger body size -- flying through the late evening and early morning skies gulping up insects into that cavern. The tiny beak certainly belies the size of his mouth. <br />
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After he was banded and photographed, Aaron took the bird into the wooded area behind the banding table to photograph him on the ground and to then release him. Well, this bird made a you-turn back towards the banding table. Aaron called out to us, "Here he comes!" Yes, he flew straight towards me. I had to duck! What a great start to our busy morning!<br />
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Initially, the first part of the early morning, most of the team (with me in tow) were removing birds from the nets. I am happy to report that I have improved in my removing-bird-from net skills! Patience and practice pay off. I even got an old, feisty, finger-chomping Northern Cardinal out of the net. Most passerines (songbirds) do not have powerful enough beaks to hurt you when they give you a nip. Not so the Northern Cardinal! After checking the bird band on this one, Aaron told me that this was one of the first birds that he banded at KIBS in 2009! As activity slowed at the nets, we could spend more time at the banding table to help with the banding process (see my previous posts in the links above for a refresher if you need one). Aaron reported on <a href="http://kiawahislandbanding.blogspot.com/2014_10_05_archive.html" target="_blank"><b>his KIBS blog post</b></a> for the day, that he and his team banded 217 new birds and recaptured 15 birds of 31 species! <br />
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And thus to account for a few of those other species, here are a few more photos. So what is better than a thrush in the hand? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_9xSka3nYwvPdBV5vzJGom4ft6zd29UojB7VY_5IVb3Lrf_hyphenhyphent0sxC5VF0BgfaAjkegJyIYfJmWdvmhxuq0msOsPgWQfTCiiOItzf2GK6vcnHRwnsetMBDqEM2hjeyC6Sp4ezqde1C7f/s1600/swth-8709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_9xSka3nYwvPdBV5vzJGom4ft6zd29UojB7VY_5IVb3Lrf_hyphenhyphent0sxC5VF0BgfaAjkegJyIYfJmWdvmhxuq0msOsPgWQfTCiiOItzf2GK6vcnHRwnsetMBDqEM2hjeyC6Sp4ezqde1C7f/s1600/swth-8709.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swainson's Thrush -- KIBS -- Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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Three thrushes in the hand!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdbrMVvcxgzmaB0MkCK2ZBUaQFteNmyGa9yqkL_Xm64vKRALEAEdF7CSmVQka1rADxJw8AeO1ztAb7tMhVzhZA6k2mQ1e5FdYfV1lOyyqTF7kBu0kJbZtU7pTA65ehTBH0JX1Kdc7U27P/s1600/woth-8703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdbrMVvcxgzmaB0MkCK2ZBUaQFteNmyGa9yqkL_Xm64vKRALEAEdF7CSmVQka1rADxJw8AeO1ztAb7tMhVzhZA6k2mQ1e5FdYfV1lOyyqTF7kBu0kJbZtU7pTA65ehTBH0JX1Kdc7U27P/s1600/woth-8703.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Thrush -- KIBS -- Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2oAQt6pHMlIWuaDlF_z9hLhSjRY0kt3ZTU5vIxw0tJWaEIhbXC0Lu8HwN6lL5u5BnuJJ-TO5m-Le63qni8a_74MueHYffR-LP6PrZIjhSTnW_prYXJaVW9RARPUR_-lthZkSwJ_P9o5w/s1600/gcth-8689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2oAQt6pHMlIWuaDlF_z9hLhSjRY0kt3ZTU5vIxw0tJWaEIhbXC0Lu8HwN6lL5u5BnuJJ-TO5m-Le63qni8a_74MueHYffR-LP6PrZIjhSTnW_prYXJaVW9RARPUR_-lthZkSwJ_P9o5w/s1600/gcth-8689.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gray-cheeked Thrush -- KIBS -- Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eOoLptTC8MPvNXTsnlRIWs7-UEnl5buln3vsGql-prnaNniJGp-AhUt_0E-YA3JwE0CumjuJe5kX9kFfstjha69tpB4hxGmERLu7JCkPrzSHKzpJixs_H6Y4aZpfw9JDmDwW_j3rvdqN/s1600/thrushes-8715.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eOoLptTC8MPvNXTsnlRIWs7-UEnl5buln3vsGql-prnaNniJGp-AhUt_0E-YA3JwE0CumjuJe5kX9kFfstjha69tpB4hxGmERLu7JCkPrzSHKzpJixs_H6Y4aZpfw9JDmDwW_j3rvdqN/s1600/thrushes-8715.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Thrush, Gray-cheeked Thrush and Swainson's Thrush -- KIBS -- Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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Another lovely bird processed at KIBS that morning was the Common Ground-Dove! This was my first up-close look at its awesome "scaly" plumage.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_yTjyoiWvTXFUoVku4Hph3vv9MxLdwCCC7i4pG6VNdxSCPJzMCDkYZZsdKmaDb8Se9RhiBn8uJox0Tkckh50o1zFsfGJ0Obbd3P2HTZ0U_1gwuPWYT147K8o7G7r1_3dRB-xcW4uMwTW/s1600/cgdo-8762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_yTjyoiWvTXFUoVku4Hph3vv9MxLdwCCC7i4pG6VNdxSCPJzMCDkYZZsdKmaDb8Se9RhiBn8uJox0Tkckh50o1zFsfGJ0Obbd3P2HTZ0U_1gwuPWYT147K8o7G7r1_3dRB-xcW4uMwTW/s1600/cgdo-8762.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Ground-Dove -- KIBS -- Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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One very indignant Yellow-Billed Cuckoo received a band at KIBS that morning. I had never heard one to be quite that raucous. In my previous (and limited) experience with these birds at the banding table, they gurgled and cooed, and one even hung out by the table after he had been released. Not this one! This guy was as expressive as and louder than the notoriously vocal Gray Catbirds that we handled in abundance (79 individuals) that day. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxym5I8DX2um9BxFH5X0NHCOvDWeqDW3LjL0K6nVUf2AKVT4_9xGTZaDcDYsKuWQEOfr8N2nyB6vmV0z2Dov2-dbmiNxNyoGO0fU71n43R7B-DHv7ZD8xSfcaKba6BkGW6GBqx15r3VrFj/s1600/ybcu-8736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxym5I8DX2um9BxFH5X0NHCOvDWeqDW3LjL0K6nVUf2AKVT4_9xGTZaDcDYsKuWQEOfr8N2nyB6vmV0z2Dov2-dbmiNxNyoGO0fU71n43R7B-DHv7ZD8xSfcaKba6BkGW6GBqx15r3VrFj/s1600/ybcu-8736.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow-Billed Cuckoo -- KIBS -- Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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I am sorry to say that I did not, this time, take a picture of a Gray Catbird. If you want to see one though, just look outside. They are quite thick at this time of year as breeders from elsewhere are migrating through right now.</div>
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After all of these rich brown and gray tones, it is time for a few birds in yellow. It was a treat to see this adult male Scarlet Tanager in non-breeding plumage. A few red feathers remained under his wings! This is a species which passes through along the coast during Fall migration. We have to go to the mountains to see him in breeding plumage. We all know that birds molt twice a year. Still it is stunning to see the differences from one plumage to another. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPQaYqJOv0H-1mdlkIYqillgfebOK9N1JElSyGzxOKr57O5lsY3uQfKjNfXdvTGgfEqiFSA6TL9eYpmhJjh8uDuciHXzaVJyYo_UICovEz_0hkxKJSCSEHT_k8Vs8PjOZz7kblKyxQZwu/s1600/scta-8779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPQaYqJOv0H-1mdlkIYqillgfebOK9N1JElSyGzxOKr57O5lsY3uQfKjNfXdvTGgfEqiFSA6TL9eYpmhJjh8uDuciHXzaVJyYo_UICovEz_0hkxKJSCSEHT_k8Vs8PjOZz7kblKyxQZwu/s1600/scta-8779.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Scarlet Tanager in non-breeding plumage -- KIBS -- Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mzGBtVblljmqmoVZSzdLcU3CdJCYmfIyV91sUHrZpZe4AOwocTEFU-PQRb5jh_C-ArF8ICoXHRqWiGmDBe4AiMpaIGp7IlxLHBJzsRBD_4qCM0mEAbsX-WaS-l7cj4-mZeWVaNW8nQ_T/s1600/IMG_8644-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mzGBtVblljmqmoVZSzdLcU3CdJCYmfIyV91sUHrZpZe4AOwocTEFU-PQRb5jh_C-ArF8ICoXHRqWiGmDBe4AiMpaIGp7IlxLHBJzsRBD_4qCM0mEAbsX-WaS-l7cj4-mZeWVaNW8nQ_T/s1600/IMG_8644-3.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scarlet Tanager -- Blue Ridge Parkway near the Heintooga Spur -- June 8, 2011</td></tr>
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The Northern Waterthrush, which breeds primarily in the Northeastern US and the boreal forests of Canada, also passes through in fair abundance along our coast during migration. I always enjoy seeing these tail-bobbers in the local swamps in the Spring and Fall. It is a treat to see close-up them at the banding table!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOd247Hltyox92auJzG5SNgx5gnNmWVWH-k3iEoPwP55RvJjaV78Akuo8SeGekMe9HaYX2cW39dSw5oC8GSVap2nlcjDojConQziJwiULik0xAO3az5MsKqPY-76MvlNARQCM5uB3L05N/s1600/nowa-8784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOd247Hltyox92auJzG5SNgx5gnNmWVWH-k3iEoPwP55RvJjaV78Akuo8SeGekMe9HaYX2cW39dSw5oC8GSVap2nlcjDojConQziJwiULik0xAO3az5MsKqPY-76MvlNARQCM5uB3L05N/s1600/nowa-8784.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Waterthrush -- KIBS -- Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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Finally, here are a couple of other warblers that I photographed last Sunday from the bird banding station. If I remember correctly, Aaron determined that this Chestnut-Sided Warbler was a hatch year bird. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeLifF9HmVW0rlX4uZ3qadz_k5m84AzMcJ1zUtGBTg9ZYi7EC1bILtVarIDcEJjmKYvMw-_G47pltEJ0ySisZzcCO81J4szstE_J933rB3cMBuC4-a_2ZGCkv8NqezsJPhgwMAIthdRZf/s1600/cswa-8748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeLifF9HmVW0rlX4uZ3qadz_k5m84AzMcJ1zUtGBTg9ZYi7EC1bILtVarIDcEJjmKYvMw-_G47pltEJ0ySisZzcCO81J4szstE_J933rB3cMBuC4-a_2ZGCkv8NqezsJPhgwMAIthdRZf/s1600/cswa-8748.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chestnut-sided Warbler -- KIBS -- Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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The breeding plumage of the adult male Chestnut-sided is quite different. This species breeds in the boreal north and also in the Appalachian Mountain chain. Though this warbler is fairly tiny, Carl and I know it to be a bold and showy bird during the breeding season. For comparison, I have posted below a photo taken in the North Carolina mountains in June 2013. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4Rtd5djDKiNh419m_XZCZtW5fo2_R3w7XnX5-lv6sNseu8ats_lgsAgzNSWs7UNkRSTOFGBMftSqaUqUd_bpizE95U75l5UROHDZ2ZrjVa7u0XpRuCY5bjSRG__GjB-zr67ZJjS9I2rJ/s1600/7D_8391_cswa_em.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4Rtd5djDKiNh419m_XZCZtW5fo2_R3w7XnX5-lv6sNseu8ats_lgsAgzNSWs7UNkRSTOFGBMftSqaUqUd_bpizE95U75l5UROHDZ2ZrjVa7u0XpRuCY5bjSRG__GjB-zr67ZJjS9I2rJ/s1600/7D_8391_cswa_em.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chestnut-sided Warbler -- Richland Balsam Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway -- June 15, 2013</td></tr>
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My final bird photo from Sunday, another warbler, is below, again in non-breeding plumage, -- a Magnolia Warbler!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9JpHRJ6itG__w4gb2P7Z8BsX_jgr_iSMxhoV2bmxN9I2uSRurw3Ah8FXT_ZVIBVEaJJjYH33D8sHMugwmg8IEIVNUNKTmHNZAe_y4WRPvLY3yitjF5gWdGtHq0Ieo0Wwb-90bmM8JKPQ/s1600/mawa-8724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9JpHRJ6itG__w4gb2P7Z8BsX_jgr_iSMxhoV2bmxN9I2uSRurw3Ah8FXT_ZVIBVEaJJjYH33D8sHMugwmg8IEIVNUNKTmHNZAe_y4WRPvLY3yitjF5gWdGtHq0Ieo0Wwb-90bmM8JKPQ/s1600/mawa-8724.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magnolia Warbler -- KIBS -- Kiawah Island, SC -- October 5, 2014</td></tr>
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Though I have seen <b><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Magnolia_Warbler/id" target="_blank">Magnolia Warblers</a></b> in their bright breeding plumage both in the Appalachian mountains and in the boreal forests of Maine and New Brunswick this past summer, I have yet to attain a photo. So check out the link above to see what they look like in their bold, breeding finery.</div>
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And thus, I spent another glorious morning at KIBS -- helping with the bird banding. As I related to Aaron in an e-mail a couple of days later, being at KIBS is medicine to my soul. I do not know if it is the the
area behind the dune line that reminds me of my childhood stomping
grounds or being able to be so close to such thickly associated birds
(both at the station and in the field (OMG!), or the opportunity to learn
more about birds, bird banding, etc. It must be the combination of all
three! Days later, I still thrill at the memory of the experience! Thank you Aaron for allowing me to be part of it! </div>
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Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-45789754622294780102014-10-06T20:00:00.000-04:002014-10-07T21:09:50.270-04:00Goodbye to the Rugged and Handsome Pomarine Jaeger<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1qn9g773u9mMCfzFG6WMde5OFFEa5hXIAdgwC5RxIHA9YG3unsid3DQfGEkA5HpzoiKQCPIzdfj6s0huQG84H98_lj9cb-I2JWNVz_-qcAqFVGNWycy5UM4gPyi2zOKlj8bTsgGtA5kk/s1600/IMG_8415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1qn9g773u9mMCfzFG6WMde5OFFEa5hXIAdgwC5RxIHA9YG3unsid3DQfGEkA5HpzoiKQCPIzdfj6s0huQG84H98_lj9cb-I2JWNVz_-qcAqFVGNWycy5UM4gPyi2zOKlj8bTsgGtA5kk/s1600/IMG_8415.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rugged and Handsome Pomarine Jaeger -- Breach Inlet, Sullivan's Island, SC -- July 11, 2014</td></tr>
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Yesterday, I learned of the sad fate of the handsome and rugged Pomarine Jaeger first found and identified at Breach Inlet by Craig Watson. To learn more about this bird's arrival and his transfer to the <a href="http://www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org/" target="_blank">Avian Conservation Center - Center for Birds of Prey</a> in Awendaw, SC, please check out 2 previous posts on him <b><a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/07/look-what-hurricane-authur-blew-in-one.html" target="_blank">here</a> </b>and <b><a href="http://pluffmudperspectives.blogspot.com/2014/07/update-look-what-hurricane-arthur-blew.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </b><br />
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The Avian Conservation Center sent an e-mail to Craig this morning to inform him of the bird's demise from a sudden and acute upper respiratory infection -- likely aspergillosis, an ailment that often strikes captive pelagic species. He had been receiving a preventative medication against this illness but had succumbed nonetheless. Previously, the clinic had been cautiously optimistic on the possibility of his release back into the wild once he had completed a molt into new feathers. Unfortunately, this was not to be and he passed yesterday morning. <br />
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I will always treasure the memory of this bird's alert and bold personality in his interactions with birders, tourists and fishermen on the beach at the inlet. And I am sad that he did not live to sail out over the ocean again -- Free on the wing. <br />
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The good that came of this bird's stay at the Center comes in the form
of increased medical knowledge for the staff in terms of how to treat
future pelagic patients. Kudos to the Center for all that they did in
their attempts to save this bird!Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586956726817866481.post-81186411444987523112014-09-20T11:01:00.000-04:002014-09-21T07:18:12.079-04:00Nature Alert! Another Great Series Coming from PBS' Nature on Penguins!<div style="text-align: left;">
Hello everyone! Do you like penguins? Well, the PBS program, <i>Nature, </i>has a treat for all of us -- a three part series called "Penguins: A Spy in the Huddle," filmed with spy cams camouflaged as eggs, rocks and other penguins! I just learned of this series this morning as I was going through the e-mail accumulated in my inbox this week. I quickly perused the SCETV programming alert to discover that this new series will show for the next three Wednesdays: September 24, October 1 & October 8. </div>
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Of course, I clicked on the link that took me to the <b><a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/penguins-spy-in-the-huddle/about/9024/" target="_blank"><i>Nature </i>page</a></b> with more information and I encourage you to do the same. You will be able to watch 3 previews of each show in the series. I looked a little further and found these 2 charming, amazing clips to entice you further to tune in to PBS on Wednesday evening!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="376" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="http://video.pbs.org/viralplayer/2365320152" width="512"></iframe><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="376" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="http://video.pbs.org/viralplayer/2365320129" width="512"></iframe><br />
So you know where you will find me next Wednesday evening at 8 pm! Yes, watching penguins!Cathy Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00493414643329958863noreply@blogger.com0