This is a Friday Ramble on Jekyll Island. It has been planned for a few months now. Thursday was awful because the winds were out of the west. The day was very smoky I was a little worried about Friday. But the skies were blue. There was a slight chill in the air. “Perfect” I though!
After meeting with Georgi, Sharon, Joan and Pricilla we walk over to the convention center to get Pricilla her life Gray Kingbird. He was right by his tree standing guard over his nest. What a stately bird.
From there we went to the Beach Deck area near the Days Inn. I always want to check out the beach there. While we were watching Sanderling scurrying around the edge of the surf a woman came up to us. It turned out that Emilie had been looking for us and wanted to join us. The group just took her right in. This was Emilie’s first time to bird. She told us that if she just learned one or two birds that would make her happy. Well, OK we were off to the Welcome Center where the tide was already come in but we walk around to the east side and found shorebirds in summer plumage. The Black-bellied Plover was stunning. The Dunlin was a dandy. But the Whimbrel was the showcase bird.
I wanted to wait for the tide to fall before going to the beach so the next stop was the Campground Sanctuary. We got there around 9:30. This place is wonderful. We had both male and female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Painted Buntings were in and out of the feeders the entire time we were there. A female Black-throated Blue Warbler came into the bird bath a few times. But the real treat was the male American Redstart that popped in to check out the drip. Emilie was hooked when she saw the male Painted Bunting but it was over the top when she learned about the tiny wood warblers like the redstart. What a treat to see someone enjoy watching birds!
The real cap for Emilie and all of us was the Amphitheater Pond. There is just something about babies Wood Storks. Yellow-crowned Night-herons and growing Great Egrets chicks were a plus.
We dropped off Emilie for she had an appointment that her husband had made for her. Did I say this was her birthday? Yes, she wanted to going birding for her birthday. She left very pleased saying she learned a lot more than just one or two birds. A New Birder! Yea.
We finished the morning with Royal Terns, Black Skimmers, and Wilson’s Plovers at the south end of Jekyll. We decide to continue the fun with a lunch at Sea Jays. On the way there a surprise Mississippi Kite flew over the van. Man could it get any better but at Sea Jay’s we were serenaded by a Yellow-throated Warbler. No better way to spend a morning than with good people and beautiful birds. At the very end after I told the group bye I ended my Jekyll Bird Ramble with two Gull-billed Terns. This is the second time I’ve seen Gull-billed Terns in the area around the Gisco Marina Drive. Stay tuned I’ve got my fingers crossed that these birds will hang around here during the summer.
With Jekyll Birds on my mind., good birding.
Lydia
I wanted to wait for the tide to fall before going to the beach so the next stop was the Campground Sanctuary. We got there around 9:30. This place is wonderful. We had both male and female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Painted Buntings were in and out of the feeders the entire time we were there. A female Black-throated Blue Warbler came into the bird bath a few times. But the real treat was the male American Redstart that popped in to check out the drip. Emilie was hooked when she saw the male Painted Bunting but it was over the top when she learned about the tiny wood warblers like the redstart. What a treat to see someone enjoy watching birds!
The real cap for Emilie and all of us was the Amphitheater Pond. There is just something about babies Wood Storks. Yellow-crowned Night-herons and growing Great Egrets chicks were a plus.
We dropped off Emilie for she had an appointment that her husband had made for her. Did I say this was her birthday? Yes, she wanted to going birding for her birthday. She left very pleased saying she learned a lot more than just one or two birds. A New Birder! Yea.
We finished the morning with Royal Terns, Black Skimmers, and Wilson’s Plovers at the south end of Jekyll. We decide to continue the fun with a lunch at Sea Jays. On the way there a surprise Mississippi Kite flew over the van. Man could it get any better but at Sea Jay’s we were serenaded by a Yellow-throated Warbler. No better way to spend a morning than with good people and beautiful birds. At the very end after I told the group bye I ended my Jekyll Bird Ramble with two Gull-billed Terns. This is the second time I’ve seen Gull-billed Terns in the area around the Gisco Marina Drive. Stay tuned I’ve got my fingers crossed that these birds will hang around here during the summer.
With Jekyll Birds on my mind., good birding.
Lydia
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