American Wigeon
November 17; Back Bay NWR
Walt had to leave for Williamsburg in the afternoon, but we had time to make the drive to Back Bay in the morning and bird until mid-afternoon. There were Tundra Swans and a few duck species in the bay.
American Wigeon
We saw lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Great Blue Heron, and a juvenile White Ibis in the marsh areas.
White Ibis
We hiked the road around the lagoons, saw a few avian species, and some turtles.
Great Blue Heron
Palm Warbler
Turtle
One of the highlights there was a poisonous Eastern Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin) that was sunning itself on the road. Note the slit eye pupil and triangular head.
Eastern Cottonmouth
Eastern Cottonmouth
We took the boardwalk over the sand dunes and onto the beach. We soon saw a Forster's Tern and a few Sanderlings.
Forster's Tern
And then we had the last highlight of the trip. There was a feeding frenzy of birds not too far from the shore. All kinds of gulls, and both adult and juvenile Northern Gannets, were diving into the water to catch fish. A huge flock of Black Scoters was a bit farther out.
Juvenile Northern Gannet
Immature Laughing Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Black Scoters
One of these birds was trying to rob a fish from a gull, and the robber looked a bit unusual to me. It was a Parasitic Jaeger (my life bird # 618). There were at least two of them in the frenzy, and possibly more.
Parasitic Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
Parasitic Jaegers
Parasitic Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger