Bird Ramble January 10, 2008

What a difference a week makes. Last week we were bundle up and freezing. This week we were shedding clothes. I was out to do a plover sweep as well see Avocets and Oystercatcher because the tide was high. Well we walked from the 4-h boardwalk to the point and back. We did see the avocets, one Piping Plover, one Black-bellied Plover and two Wilson’s Plover but no Snowy Plover. Darlene had traveled all the way from Atlanta to Jekyll that morning to join our ramble group. She came to see the Snowy Plover. So where was the Snowy Plover? We tried St. Andrews Picnic Area. The tide was just too high to go south. We settled for very good looks at a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Still on the quest for oystercatcher, we went on to the north end and Clam Creek. Again, the tide was very high so the area where the oystercatchers hang out was flooded. We did see Buffleheads bouncing out in the river. By this time it was getting close to noon so we finished the morning at Amphitheater. This is a wonderful area to find both night-herons and the Anhingas. The Wood Storks were hanging out in their traditional trees. For several weeks there have been Roseate Spoonbills hanging around the pond. There was one there.



Darlene and Becky keep right on birding while the rest of us went and had a nice lunch. I enjoy my mornings with the winter people who come to Jekyll. They give me such insights into what is going on around the country. There is nothing like good birds and good company. After lunch, I took off to the St. Andrews Picnic Area. I really enjoy looking at shorebirds. This Snowy Plover is an interesting bird. Why is it here? Consequently, I took off south on the beach, about half way down the beach I found Becky and Darlene looking at the Snowy Plover. It was about in the same spot as last week. Although the banded Piping Plover was near by the Snowy Plover chased it. It seemed to own its a wet sand patch with a field of tube worms. Darlene was in photo heaven. She had positioned herself to try to capture that perfect image. Going for the perfect image is something as an artist I can understand. I like to say I am an image junky.