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Common Eider, Eared Grebe no dovies



 I zoomed down to the OUter Banks in search of those dovekies and met up
with both Wayne Irvin and Jeff Lewis and have just returned, tired and
dovekieless but richer by two other birds: an Eared Grebe and a Common
Eider, both around the Rodanthe Pier.

Wayne had sighted the female Common Eider yesterday and kindly showed it
to me today as it poked about he pilings of the pier, was bullied by a
Greater Black Backed Gull, and in its turn vented its frustration on a
nearby Ring-Billed (though not nearly as persistently as it was harrassed
by the Black Back).

THe Eared grebe was in with a flock of about ten Horned Grebes about a
mile or two south of the pier, and very close to the shore.

THe dovekies have joined the ranks of wraith birds and are now adding
their mocking chirps to those of the Lapland Longspurs, though I
understand that Will Cook managed to spy one off the Kill Devil Hills. I
did not, but am telling myself that I am completely spoiled for even
thinking of sulking about this since with the Common Eider I finally
reached my 500th U.S. bird. (YEA!).   But what's equally important (or
trivial) is that by seeing the Lesser Black Backed Gull just a few minutes
before the Eider I averted the disastrous anticlimax of having a Gull be
my 500th species.

Shantanu Phukan


PS: Yes, I know, I know Gulls are also part of the fabric and as such
deserve my respect (but awe?)

Shantanu Phukan
Carrboro