They've Drained the Lake!

It was quite a surprise to drive by Carolina Beach Lake and find that it had been drained.  Two years ago when they did that, I saw a ton of birds (until the fish run out).  It was a gorgeous day for my walk and loved seeing the first of the Red Headed Ducks I have seen this year.  In the bright light, he has a nice red head for sure!

He was hanging out with the Coots.

I counted over 20 Ibis feeding in the shallows.

The tricks with the light made this look like an arctic scene to me but really  just the bright blue sky shining off the blackish mud.  That is a sleeping female mallard in the foreground.

The Long Tailed Duck is still hanging around.

As are the Lesser Scaup.

I was very surprised when I got home to discover there was a female Hooded Merganser that crept into a couple of my pictures.  I was taking a picture of the ibis taking off here.  The female Hooded Merganser is in the foreground.

Here I was taking a picture of the Pied Bill Grebe and there she was again, this time in the background.  I told a guy just as I was leaving that I had never seen a Hooded Merganser here -- turns out I lied!

This is the first time I have seen the little juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron up and about -- he also was feeding in the shallows and is wide awake.

Here is is from a different angle.

There were also a Great Blue Heron, a Great Egret, and a young Pelican.