Week of April 12 through 17 2011

Wow! taxes and grants how much time they take up but they are both important so last week I was up to my eyeballs in both. Even though I was swamped, I always have a little time for birds. Living and working in the Golden Isles birding is easy as you going from island to island. Tuesday I stopped by the pond under the Sidney Lanier Bridge and Avocets were marching back and forth eating.

Thursday, there were White Pelicans at the south end of Jekyll and flying over head. Friday, there were Wood Storks setting up nests in the tops of the pine trees near the Golf course driving range. The spoonbill are still just waving sticks around. There are no signs of them nesting.

Sunday, I finished the week with a trip to the Altamaha's Butler Island areas. Ibis, Black-bellied Whistling Duck were wonderful. I started with avocets and finished with one Black-necked Stilt. Wonder what this week will bring?

Young people on Jekyll

Friday Afternoon, I had the honor of going along with Troy, age eleven, to the Amphitheater. He was visiting his Grandmother and had a school assignment on birds. The Amphitheater was the perfect place for a young person to have the first introduction to birds. So we were there. He had to come up with a question and find the answer. First we looked at the nesting Wood Storks, then the Roseate Spoonbills and mixing it up a little we looked at the cormorant. He learned to use the scope. He learned to use the field guide and he came up with three questions. His mom was taking pictures. I showed her how to use her camera with the scope. She got some good pictures so we were all learning. On the way out we ran into Angus, he asked what we had seen. Angus is a member of The Wood Thrushes youth birding team, and is getting ready for next week’s Youth Birding Competition. It was a great experience watching two young people birding on Jekyll. Good luck guys!

Sorry everyone I will try to do better about posting my birding notes. I am still working on the grant to study the Wilson’s Plovers at the south end of Jekyll Island. It is a very important grant and I am being very careful.

Male Wilson's Plover on the south end of Jekyll today. He was singing!

But I must work to pay the bills. Today I was out on a Ramble, my birding tours on Jekyll. Well, it started off with a bang. We turned into the soccer field to check of any rare birds and we found one. It was a bird that has eluded me here in Georgia. I have seen it in a lot of state but not here.

We turn in & there it was. It was walking across the grass. Heavy bodied long neck little head big eyes. The bill was sharp and pointed. It was an Upland Sandpiper right here on Jekyll. It was nervous. I did my best to get a photo. It is a poor photo but it shows the bird. Yea! A Georgia bird and a Jekyll bird what a great start to the day.