A white bird, but not my pelican!

Tweet Swung by East Fork this afternoon to see if anything new had showed up and hoping for a or the American White Pelican that was there a couple days ago.  I didn't find the pelican, but I did see another nice white bird.  Another birder was taking pictures of something on the beach when I got there.  I scanned the gull flock and noticed it was a Cattle Egret.  It was just hanging out.

I like this next photo, it looks cool with the Ring-billed Gull coming in for a landing behind the egret.

It just stayed and preened.  Until...

A guy with a kid decided to chase the birds making odd bird sounds.  The bird flew, but returned to the beach afterwards.

Not the pelican I wanted to see, but still a nice looking bird!

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Black-bellied Plover at East Fork

Tweet This bird was on the beach at East Fork State Park this evening.  I called it a American Golden Plover juvenile.  I now see that another plover was photographed by another birder with a better camera there this morning that clearly appears to be a Black-bellied Plover.

The 1st reason I called this bird a American Golden Plover is the strong eye line.  It also appeared to have some gold speckling on the back.  I wonder if this is a trick of the bad evening light.  Comments appreciated.  I do not think this is the same bird photographed earlier in the day by another birder.

Here are the pics:

*Update - Ided as a Back-bellied plover by another birder with more experience with the large plovers.  This is cool, because this would be only the second time I have seen one.  This is most likely the same bird photographed earlier in the day.  The setting sun made the lighting a challenge.  Hoping to get back out there for some better pics today.

**Update #2:  I went back to see if I could get a better look at the bird.  I quickly found the bird very near the same spot as yesterday.  I was able to get pictures that confirm the bird is definitely a Black-bellied.  It is the same bird that Dave Tibbetts photographed earlier in the day yesterday.  The lighting of the setting sun had added golden colors where none existed.  Below are the pics from today around mid day.

 

Hi, why you looking at me!!!

The photo above of the underwing is exact to the bird Dave photographed earlier in the day yesterday.


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Lonesome Rust

Tweet Things have been slow birding wise at East Fork for me lately, hasn't been much of anything "new".  As I was checking the sandy shore for any hiding shorebirds, I noticed a lonely blackbird in the distance.  It was by itself, which was odd to me for a blackbird.  I almost passed it off as a cowbird, but something wasn't right.  It did not behave like a cowbird.  I then saw the bird turning over leaves which made me think it must be a Rusty Blackbird.  I decided to get a closer look.

Definitely a Rusty Blackbird!  This is the first I have seen this fall.

The sun was really bringing out the rust color.  Such a beautiful bird.

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