Common Loons at Wrightsville Beach

Hi Birders,
just upload a short video of a pair of common loons foraging a Wrightsville beach's Bank Channel.  The loon's migrate from the New England area to the southeastern North Carolina.  I observed 15 pairs of Common Loon birding trip last week behind Masonboro Island.  Interestingly, the loons will change their diets from freshwater fish in summer to saline fish species in winter. 

Enjoy

Channeled Whelk ,A North Carolina Favorite

Dear Birders,

Found this Channeled Whelk after hurricane Irene on Topsail Island, after a day of birding the southend.

This whelk is a voracious predator endemic to North Carolina,Florida. Found in the intertidal zone, and known to be nocturnal predator of clams. Notice the beautiful whorls and the smooth texture of the shell. 

Wrightsville Beach Jellies

Here you are seeing the moon jelly fish and the cabbage jelly.  Very different species occupying the same water column.  The moon jelly has stinging tentacles while the Cabbage is relatively harmless.  The tide is going out  and the jellies got stranded on the soundside of Wrightsville Beach.

Cypress Dome

In downtown Wilmington lies a Cypress Dome ecosystem named Grennfield Lake. Adjacent Cypress forests have fallen to development and saltwater intrusion.  The lake has a 80 acre preserve of Bald and Mixed pond Cypress trees.  Here I viewed a Blue Heron sub adult sun bathing on a limb of the cypress. Enjoy
  Keep Birding

Downy Woodpecker at Feeder

Hi Birders,

today a Downy Woodpecker showed up at my feeder. Amazingly, I was able to get close enough to use my iphone to capture this image attached.  The photo truly captures the Downy's tiny bill,evolved to glean insects from the bark.