Handsome birds

Aren't these Black-bellied Plovers handsome. I saw them because I pulled off the road to let a car pass. It is Diamond-back Terrapin time on the Jekyll Causeway. These terrapins are looking for a place to lay their eggs so they are crossing the road. I drive slowly to watch for them. I was rewarded with these birds. The plovers will be leaving us soon. But don't worry they will be back in late July or early August.

Babies on the beach

This morning I was out at Jekyll Point to see how the Wilson's Plovers were doing. At the moment it looks like only one pair has chicks. There were three lone males standing along the beach. Two of these birds were singing their "Kitter, Kit, Kit" song. Here is one of the males.
This is a one of the chicks in the dunes. I tried to get better photos but this little guy was racing around.Here is an arrow to show the chick as it runs away.

Grandmothers and Granddaughters

One of my focuses is to make more birders. My concern is not for making listers or scientists but just that folks enjoy birds. Whether it is in the backyard or traveling the world or somewhere in between, I want to know that birds are being seen and cared about. Because when people care they are more likely to be part of the solutions to hard conservation problems. Well on Friday, I watched as grandmothers and granddaughters share time together. They chose to go birding. It was a treat to see caring and communication thru birds.

Here is Mary and her granddaughter Hannan

Time out for an award

Whoa! Where did the time go? At the end of April I was putting the finishing touches on my TogetherGreen Fellowship Grant Application. I got it in on time on May 2 and then I have been working every day from well before the sun rises to well after dark. There was a Shorebird Workshop from Atlanta. On Monday there was the All Women’s Birding Bust. By the way we found 140 species most of those in Glynn County. It broke my record for one day of birding in Glynn County. More on that later
But today, I had a meeting to attend. The National Society of the Daughters of The American Revolution honored me with an award for my conservation work.
It reads “The National Society of the Daughters of The American Revolution Conservation Committee Dedicated to the Preservation of the Natural Resources of Our Country, Its Soils, Minerals, Forests, Waters and Wildlife Presents this Certificate to Lydia C. Thompson in Recognition of Outstanding Achievement for Environmental Awareness. Thanks to Julie Spivey and the Frederica Chapter of the DAR for selecting me.

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.