Saturdays morning forecast calls for rain. Overcast skies will lead me to the inlet today. I have high hopes of seeing some sea birds.
It is 4:30 and my plans are to leave the house around 6:00 am. The Danes have been fed and coffee has been made. I check Birdseye for sightings, gather my gear and head out to the car, right on time.
I make it to the inlet as the sun is slowly lighting the sky. I sit in my car facing the inlet, gazing out into the quickly moving water. I see absolutely nothing, simply water. I get out of my car and start walking the jetty a few Ruddy Turnstones feed and prune along the rocks.
I lay on the stand for a bit watching the Ruddys navigate the jetty and sand. As I get up, I hear someone say “No Socks!”. It is warm this morning, so I am simply wearing my Keens. A conversation starts with a couple local photographers. I tell them where I am from and ask them the same. A nice conversation about Ocean City and the surrounding area ensues. I am not much of a conversationalist, but I do love talking photography and locations. After about ten or 15 minutes the two head off to another location.
I look out to the water and see a Common Eider heading my way. This is the first year I have photographed this bird, I recorded my first one in Newport Rhode Island. I take a few photos as it approaches and flies by. I see a few more close to the jetty. A couple more photos and they are gone as well.
My first Black Scoter! Nothing is more satisfying then seeing and capturing a new bird. It seems to get a little tougher each year to photograph or even find a new bird.
As I start to head back west along the jetty I see a Long-tailed Duck flying my way. I can remember the first time I saw one. I was in Chincoteague looking for shorebirds on the bayside, as I often do. I see this beautiful duck swimming close to shore. Long tail and all it moved quickly out into the bay. I was able to get a couple shots before it turned its butt towards me. Oldsquaw is the first name I heard, when I asked for an ID. The name was changed in 2000 to Long-tailed Duck.
As I start to head back to the car a Gull flies in with an Eel and land right in front of me. How lucky is that! The bird lands close and I have to move back a few steps to get him into frame. An awesome show goes on for about 5 minutes as the gull struggles with the Eel. Eventually the Eel loses the battle!
