Week 11 (3/17/19), Week 12 (3/24/19) and Week 13 (3/31/19) - Playing Catch Up!

Better late than never? Oy vey, it has been far too long. There are no real excuses, save for the fact that Week 12 was rather uneventful, though really that just means I should have had plenty of opportunity to do the write up for both weeks. But I didn't... Eh, what can you do?

So, let's deal with how I'm doing first. The short answer is that I am doing pretty well - my house is in order and has stayed in order for about two weeks now. I am still eating terribly. I have been very busy of an evening, with many much D&D including on Friday my first proper time DMing a game, which felt like it went pretty well. Also had fun yesterday, but more of that when we get to Week 13.

So, Week 11:

The main birding this time focused on a chance to meet up with Sam on his way back from a crazy 3000+ mile round trip to Texas. The Red-necked Grebe (bird 403) was being seen again back at Huguenot and was looking a little more red of neck, Sam was eager to see that guy as well as the semi-regular Rusty Blackbirds at the M&M Dairy, also on the Northside of Jacksonville.

But first:

Muscovy momma bear with seventeen (17!) ducklings hanging out at work. I guess she was applying for a loan for a minivan, or possible full-size bus

And so, to Huguenot we go. 

The one and only Wilson's Plover I saw that day. Look at the size of that schnoz!

Young White Ibis with a some sand on his face. Mucky pup 

Couple of LAGUs - Laughing Gulls, that is - enjoying a little dabble in the surf

Dapper Dunlin - that should be the official name for them - I shall submit a request to AOS

A couple of Oystercatchers looking like they want to catch some oysters

I such a sucker for Egrets, this guy looked Great (Egret)!

UIber-close-up of another LAGU - lovely little white eyelashes. 

Another striking egret, this time a Snowy Egret on the hunt

First-of-the-year Brown-headed Cowbirds for Duval

The picture didn't take very well, but still represents the best picture I have of Common Ground-Doves (there's a second one hiding in the back)

So that's the pictures from Week 11, but now I have some videos as well (they can be found on the Avian Adventures YouTube channel). 

That's my first proper attempt using the Phoneskope digiscope adapter with my binoculars. It's not worked this well every time, but I think that will come with practice. 

Here's that Dapper Dunlin from earlier. There was plenty of opportunity to get these guys as they aren't shy - in fact they nearly got so close I couldn't focus on them with the scope anymore. 

Oystercatchers catching oysters. What more can you ask for?

There's my first video of Common Ground-Doves

And now to Week 12. Ok, so I have almost no bird pics from Week 12, just little bits and pieces as I was at work, plus some cute animal pics from home. 

American Crow at Publix

Rowan being her typical Roast Beast self. Apologies for FB users who may have already seen this pic. 

Sprungli being a giant floof. She's been very clingy lately. 

Week 13! We made it!

So the absolute highlight of my week was being able to take Trevor and his little miscreants out for some Saturday School birding adventures. We first went to Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park here in Jacksonville and followed that up with my first ever time on a military base (that I can remember) where I had to curb my natural instinct to take pictures and use binoculars. Trevor gave me the impression there would loud alarms, sirens and men with guns should I be using either of those items in close proximity to Important Things and frankly, I think he was only half joking if at all. 

The two young Birders-in-Training - but what's that they're looking at?

Ah yes, the magnificent Anhinga - in this instance a male getting ready for breeding with the blue around his eyes

While neither a good picture nor a particularly unusual bird, the Northern Cardinal is an absolute hit with the girls. I think it helps that they get to see them at home

And here's a couple of vids from the day. You can hear the girls talking back and forth and Trevor doing everything he can to bump and nudge the scope at every opportunity. 

We were tracking this guy for a good ten minutes having initial seen him perched up in some trees, he then flew around, diving and catching fish and settled here for a while for us to get a good look in the scope. 

Next up for scrutiny was this Great Blue Heron. He was unwilling to properly look down the lens, but what can you do?

Finally, seen from the beach on the base, this cluster of maybe 150+ pelicans was hanging out on the jetty on the south side of the inlet, just across the river from my nemesis, the Purple Sandpiper! In addition you can see my first-of-the-year Black Scoters. 

I had a wonderful time as Professor Phil, taking the opportunity to throw in a little education while hopefully building some enthusiasm for nature (though there was plenty of interest already). From what I could tell, the girls (and Trevor for that matter) had a good time and it was really nice to have a chance to do some hands-on nature-teaching-stuff. Hopefully this will help keep them interested in the wildlife around them as they get older. Keeping people enthusiastic about wildlife is one of the stated goals of this blog, so today at least I feel like I have succeeded. 

Huguenot Memorial City Park list

M&M Dairy list

Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park list

Mayport Naval Station list (note, not accessible without appropriate access)