Carolina Beach Lake

Well, the weather finally cleared after many many days of clouds and rain so it was time to take a walk.  Last year I walked in the afternoons down at the fresh water lake in Carolina Beach which had been drained.  For a month I saw a spectacular array of birds (January).  Having driven by several times, I hadn't seen any birds but I took my camera anyway and was pleasantly surprised!  Even though a little warm still, it was nice to see the sunshine!


This was a tricolored heron which was fishing on the south side of the lake.  I have seen this species before down here.  They are about halfway between the Great Blue and the Little Blue in size and more colorful (orange on the neck and lots of spots on the chest).

This was an American Black Duck which was frolicking with the white domestic ducks (Pekin) and the mallards.  They share a range with the mallards and do interbreed with them as do the domestic ducks. You do get some very odd combinations of feathers with this interbreeding.  This swimming was taking place in a large puddle rather than the lake.  This lake has a habit of overflowing anytime there is a lot of rain (which there has been this last week) and the pumps were going like crazy to take down the lake level.

You can see the beautiful day here.  The lake is really quite small but it has a nice paved walk and is home to many different kinds of  fresh and salt water birds in the winter.

I loved the reflection of the reeds in the water.


Tomorrow is my 4 hour nature tour of the Black River.  Hopefully the weather will hold and I will get some nice pictures!


I have managed to finish two (7 to go) of the quilts I brought down to machine quilt and so the king sized bed will be prepared for winter!  I am working on one of the "One Block Wonders" now -- I have four to finish.  I am freehand quilting around each of the motifs within the hexagon on this quilt -- looking okay so far!

Just another view of the tricolor heron.  He allowed me to get pretty close!