My schedule has changed a bit with the introduction of a new pup in our lives. 4:30 am is my norm now, every morning! Phoebe, the new pup, is ready to eat at this time. Oyster, our other pup (5 year old Dane), follows behind her like she is the greatest thing ever created. Oyster at one time woke up when I did, but now it is 4:30 everyday. So my schedule has changed a bit, I plan my day as Phoebe see’s fit.
As the Danes eat, I make some coffee and check Birdseye to see if any new birds have made it to Delmarva. Lately I have been using Ebirds data to search and plan my trips. I skim through the recent sightings and find nothing new. The Danes have finished eating and the coffee is ready. I head out side to think about where I should head today.
The weather forecast is calling for clear sunny skies. I could head to the woods, winter wren are on my mind this morning. It would be a good choice. Northern Harrier are also in my thoughts, maybe Deal Island. The Ocean City Inlet looks like it might be good Saturday, the weather forecast is calling for overcast skies. If I head to Ocean City I could hit Assateague as well. That is a good plan for Saturday. It is 5:30 now and my mind has seemed to wonder a bit. Sunrise is coming quickly and I need to make a decision. I ponder for a bit more and decide Chincoteague would be a good gamble.
I leave the house around 6:00am and make it down to Chincoteague as the sun is rising. There are a few people photographing the sunrise along the road and on the beach. I head down to the south end of the parking lot, and see a birder gazing south at some shorebirds. As I get out of the car a Red-tailed fox heads north on the bay side. I decide to start tracking it and loose sight of the tracks quickly. I kneel down and watch, trying to find the fox. I have no luck it has disappeared in to the reeds.
It is cold! I head south down the beach. There are shorebirds on the bayside an Eagle sitting on the beach 300 yards out. As I approach the shorebirds the Eagle takes flight and heads another couple hundred yards down the beach. Dunlin, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover feed along the shoreline. I lay down on the cold sand and wait for their approach. A few Dunlin make there way down my way first, followed by a few Sanderlings. The Black-bellied Plover head in the other direction. I take some photos of the birds feeding and running by. I do enjoy watching them.
I move on from the beach and see a couple Double-crested Cormorant. I grab my ground blind and setup near by. After about 15 minutes the Cormorant and some mallards start approaching. The seem unsure of what this big lump of grass is slowly following their movements. Another 20 minutes pass and the birds are now more comfortable with the blind. I start taking a few photos as they approach and swim by.
The morning has flown by. Nearly 11:00 I need to head home. It is Thanksgiving and I do have plans to spend time with family. I make it back home around 12:30. I have so much to be thankful for.
Happy Thanksgiving.
