Tuesday/Wednesday Birding: Looking for Winter Birds

Late October, early November is often the time of year when we have summer weather.  Monday morning felt like summer, a slight breeze, deep Blue sky, and a beautiful tranquil bay.
 
Sea Pines nine hole golf course has two easily viewable ponds, that is if you do not mind looking through chain link fencing. 

I was Birding with Mike.  Our first sighting was a “commotion” of Coots near the first pond (above).  Over a few greens Mike spotted a “plump” (12) of Greater white-fronted Geese.  A “dabble” of Mallards and a few Coots occupied the second pond (below). 

Sweet Springs - A high tide was just beginning to go out.  From the overlook our best sightings were an “incontinence” (8) of Greater Yellowleg, a “paddling” (22) of Blue-winged Teal, and a “season” (6) of beautiful Killdeer.  Two Black-bellied Plover, clad in their rather dull winter plumage, were having a bit of a tiff.  I think it was an adult and a juvenile.   

Near the Second Street Pier -  A Greater Yellowleg was hanging out with two Coots, out from the pier a Common Loon, in winter plumage, was diving for food.  They can travel underwater quite far as they chase down prey. 

Morro Bay Marina - We had not walked far when we saw the adorable Spotted Sandpiper teetering along the edge of the water.  This little darling is very reliable as she is always feeding along the edge of the marina. 

From the boardwalk we could see in the distance large flocks of shorebirds, numerous Great-Blue Heron, Great and Snowy Egret, and Harbor Seals hauled out on the pickleweed. 

A high 6 foot tide took me back to Sweet Springs this morning. (photo taken at 9am) Dabbling in the pickleweed were newly arrived winter ducks, Mallard, American Widgeon, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, and what I thought was a Male Northern Pintail,  but was unsure, as I could not get a good enough look.



Local birder/photographer Gary O’Neill, was at the overlook.  We immediately got into a discussion on the birds he had photographed.  Fortunately he had taken a photo of the Pintail, or what we thought was a Pintail, but did not have the long pointed tail.  This evening I compared his photo with photos on the internet and came to the conclusion that it was probably a Mallard/Northern Pintail Hybrid.  In the photo the possibly Mallard/Pintail Hybrid is in the foreground.  Beside him is a male Mallard.  Maybe the Mallard is his dad.  Ah, another bird mystery to resolve.