Day Trip Down East

Well, my trip today was a bit disappointing.  I had actually intended on going down east yesterday but woke up not feeling the best so waited until today.  My plans were to stay over tonight but said the heck with it all and came back home.  My one bad ankle I turned again while walking trying to find that dang Snowy Owl that had been hanging around the Hatteras lighthouse.  Unfortunately after a looong drive, no luck.  I procrastinated going too long and lost out.  I was originally going the day after the Bonner Bridge was closed and cancelled the trip because of the uncertainty of getting there with the emergency ferry situation.















Trying to salvage the day, coming back home I went by Mattamuskeet.  Definitely wrong day to go.  I wanted to go yesterday when there were no hunters.  The back part of the refuge was closed until 1300 and by that time, all the gunfire had spooked most of the waterfowl away.

There were the usual birds...no shortage of Great Blue Herons








and lots of Great Egrets.














The cutest little Cattle Egret kept coming right up to the car.  I had just pulled over and it would come up and look at me.  Not sure what it was thinking.












An American Bittern came flying by and I watched hoping it would land close by but I lost sight of it behind some trees.













One bright spot were lots of Northern Pintails.  Although they are not colorful ducks, their markings are quite attractive.  They were a noisy lot but enjoyable to watch.

On the way out of the refuge I spotted a Red-Shouldered Hawk that kept flying down trying to get something in the marsh area.  I never saw it get anything but it got a bit wet trying.

Time for a hot shower, a couple of ibuprofen, a cold pack on the ankle and sack time.  Tomorrow is suppose to be beautiful weather before another cold front comes in.  With tomorrow being the winter solstice, temps here are going to be around 70.  Love it!!!