Date: 1/1/21 2:49 am From: Jeffrey Blalock (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: One last trip to Outer Banks
Greetings and Happy New Year
It’s 0515 hrs New Years Day and I just woke up from a 7 hr nap on the sofa after a very busy last two day trip to the Outer Banks for the third trip there this month.
I got up on Wednesday morning at 0030 hrs and took my morning meds and laid back down for another hr but didn’t go back to sleep and so I got back up and decided to go for the Snowy Owl at Pea Island and after a 4.5 hr drive down I started looking at 0730 hr at the last know location the new inlet bridge and was soon joined by Sheri Thompson and after about 2 hrs I got a text that the owl had just been relocated at the Old Coast Guard Station and so we made a beeline there and we are to find the owl. What a great and beautiful looking owl. It was a NC Lifer for me and it has been a bird that I have been fascinated with since I was a little boy when I saw my first in a cigar commercial.
After seeing the owl I went to Jennette’s Pier but it was slow and after a couple of hrs I went to Sandy Run Park and enjoyed the loop trail if you haven’t been here it a great place to enjoy some nice easy pace birding.
I had planned to spend the nice just in case I needed it to find the owl so on Thursday morning I went to N Pond on Pea Island to look for the female Common Goldeneye and the Brant that had been seen there that I needed for Year birds for NC. While on the N Pond Wildlife Trail and looking north flying straight towards me and not too high up was a Magnificent Frigatebird boy did I get excited and luckily I had my camera and I was able to get some great pictures of it.
I was so excited because every time I drive across the Bonner Bridge I look for one flying around but never saw one.
So when I started my drive down on Wednesday morning I said my prayers to ask the Good Lord to watch over me and bring me home safely and that I get to see the Snowy Owl. And then l added Lord I wouldn’t mind seeing a Frigatebird as well if it be your will. Prayers answered.
I spent 7 hrs looking for the other two species but didn’t see either but what a way to end the year seeing the Frigatebird as it was my last NC Lifer and Year Bird so it was fitting that I didn’t see either of the other two.
Summary trip list follows
HAPPY NEW YEAR🎊🎈🎊🎈
eBird Checklist Summary for: to Dec 30, 2020 at 6:00 AM Dec 31, 2020 at 6:30 PM
Number of Checklists: 7
Number of Taxa: 69
Checklists included in this summary:
(1): Pea Island NWR
Date: Dec 30, 2020 at 7:30 AM
(2): Pea Island NWR--Old Coast Guard Station
Date: Dec 30, 2020 at 10:15 AM
(3): Nags Head--Jennette's Pier
Date: Dec 30, 2020 at 12:00 PM
(4): Sandy Run Park
Date: Dec 30, 2020 at 2:20 PM
(5): Pea Island NWR--North Pond Wildlife Trail
Date: Dec 31, 2020 at 7:30 AM
(6): Pea Island NWR--North Pond
Date: Dec 31, 2020 at 11:15 AM
(7): Bonner Bridge (South Rock Jetty)
Date: Dec 31, 2020 at 12:35 PM
