It is always a wonderful experience to visit this place. There's just so much here that's awesome, its hard not to be impressed. What enthralled me most was the fragrant smell from all of the wildflowers in bloom. Subtle and sweet, it left me almost drunk like a bee. Not many people were birding along the nature trail. There were a good number of colorful birds to go along with the many colorful dragonflies and butterflies.
Deep in the underbrush many red-starts and yellow warblers were feasting on the bugs.
There was also this guy and another warbler which I think was a Magnolia Warbler.
Also lurking were marsh and carolina wren and thrashers in the bracken.
Up in the crowns were the juveniles of many species all chasing each other around. That included orioles,
Kingbirds,
and this Blue Grosbeak who rose up to exert his dominance but was trumped by a fiesty RT Hummingbird.
But the mockingbirds eventually won the day through sheer persistence...here staring down a rough-winged swallow.
But the real ruler of the marsh was this clumsy Cooper's hawk.
Also seen were this Great Crested Flycatcher,
and a mute swan.
On the ocean side the sun was setting on a huge colony of Black Skimmers!
An Osprey hovered long and low along the beach like a good night kiss.
And even some Bottlenose Dolphin were fishing close to the beach.
An interesting note is that the 4x4 riding guy said the Skimmers are here almost two weeks longer than last. This corresponds with the 2 week late Spring that we had this year. At least the dolphins seem ok, phew!
