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White Pelicans @ Wrightsville Bch.



     Harry Sell and I met this morning at the South end
of Wrightsville Beach about 8:15 to check out the area
after a long absence of about 8 months.  Parking starts
costing in the early Spring and so once the Razorbills
and Murres quit hanging around so did I.  The parking
is so expensive they let you put it on your credit
card. Parking is now free as of Nov. 1.

     At this spot we surprised a juvenile Peregrine
Falcon on the ground.  It flushed and flew only a short
distance to where the light was at our back. 
Consequently Harry was able to get multiple great
pictures of the bird with his camera.  I don't think
the bird was 50 yards from us.  100's of Black Skimmers
here as well as a FOS Great Cormorant on one of the
close tall pilings at the base of the near jetty.  

     Went from here N. to Johnnie Mercer's Pier at
mid-island.  Pier owners are charging $1.00 this year
to walk out onto the pier and observe the goings on. 
We spied 1 or 2 Northern Gannets and one skein of Black
Scoters heading south just off the end of the pier.

     Proceeded further N. from here to the Shell Island
Resort public parking area.  We walked from here N. to
the mud flats behind the dune line extending N. from
the hotel towards Figure 8 and the inlet.  We intended
to walk the back side of the sand along the water edge
looking for Piping Plovers.   Oops! Can't do that
anymore.  The whole sound/estuary area to the West is
cordoned off and marked off limits.  You're only
allowed to walk East to the beach, where you can then
walk N. to the inlet and then W. a wee bit along the
inlet where again it appears to be posted.

     However,...the attempt at keeping non avian
critters out of there seems to be working.  I have
never seen so many water birds as had congregated in
this off-limits area.  The most obvious being two White
Pelicans standing on a mudflat adjacent to a group of
Brown Pelicans.  We watched them preen for about 20
minutes while Harry again got lots of camera shots. 
Then they flew up and circled higher and higher while
being carried by the winds to the NNW.  I don't know if
they've departed permanently or were just getting some
exercise.  

     From here we traveled S. to the Ft. Fisher spit
where I had found an immature Reddish Egret yesterday. 
The bird was still present allowing Harry to get
photos. He was able to get so close the bird wouldn't
fit into his viewfinder.  Saw lots of Red Knots feeding
at the ocean edge as we proceeded to the Egret.  (4
wheel drive needed to see this bird...or strong legs
and several hours)

     Harry said he would put up a few pictures of the
Peregrine, Pelicans, and Reddish Egret on his web site:
www.pbase.com/sellbirding

     I know he has a son's soccer game at 4:00 so it
might be this evening before he gets to the pictures,
but keep trying if you are interested.

 

Bruce Smithson
318 W. Blackbeard Rd.
Wilmington, NC  28409
(910) 799-5083
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