May 2nd I took off and went to the beach! I didn't sit out in the sun or anything like that I was looking for birds as usual...and this was the very first day our State Parks were open again...it was rather crowded but I did manage to steer around most of the other people.
Spotted some dolphin just off shore...was only able to get the fin...
I did a little shell looking it's hard to ignore the bits of stuff washed in by the tide,...I brought this coral one home...
these cute little Sanderling were getting down out of the wind, And you can see how they look in breeding plumage too..
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Lots of Semipalmated Plovers were there that day...
I took some walks on boardwalks too...
I always like to see Red Winged Blackbirds...
Egrets had standing room only! Great and Snowy Egrets.
Not as many gators were there as normal...I wonder what happened to them?
Saw Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs..
Lots of these jelly fish on the shore...some birds pecked at them...they were not alive.
Here is a live one in action in the water...a Cannonball Jellyfish!
Just to show you how small these Least Terns are!
Had some Wilson's Plover in the shorebird nesting area...
I have a one mile hike in the sand to get to the jetty and the shorebird breeding area. It's fenced for off limits but you can see a lot on the verges of it, I sat down in the sand and had my lunch and watched the Black Skimmers fly by...
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Only one American Oystercatcher was around.
That's about the time a Whimbrel decided to walk right into my picnic...LIFE BIRD as somehow they have always eluded me, even a non birder has seen a Whimbrel...now finally, so have I!
Finally! And he hung out with me all afternoon.
Plenty of Royal Tern
and Sandwich Tern
more beach drift, Spider Crabs shells...
This Willet gives himself a good belly wash..
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A few Short Billed Dowitcher showed up
along with some Black Bellied Plover in their breeding outfits!
Brown Pelican fly all around but I didn't see the huge flocks I normally see I figure they have an island offshore where they breed and that's probably where they were...
A female Painted Bunting was on the Feeder outside one of the Education Buildings that was not open, but I was happy to see they were refilling the feeders.
I enjoyed being at the beach,,,,I did not see many people taking the social distancing seriously. I don't know how they think they are exempt? I believe the Trump administration in the end will take up the "every man for himself" stand. Since he hates all of the Democrats and encourages his base to be violent and to bully their way around...I imagine as the election gets closer he will do everything he can to stop a fair election, like he is already doing that by trying to stop the mail in voting.
I really hope people will realize how the crooked Republicans will try to use the no shows at the voting booth in their favor, so put on your mask, your gloves, put a plastic trash bag over you cut a hole in for breathing just SHOW UP, if you can't vote by mail.
They won't fight fair so let us all SHOW up to fight the right way, place your vote! We have a chance to get Lindsey Graham out of office here in SC...can you imagine how wonderful that would be!! OMG Jamie Harrison is running against him and he has MY VOTE. He seems to be a decent man who has worked hard to help people of SC get a fair shot.
What a difference that would make, but let me tell you now it will take EVERY person who does NOT want Graham in office any long to show up to help, as I see Trump signs all over the place here..so don't take it lightly that he will he voted out...he will only be voted out if Everyone SHOWS up to do it.
PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
