Back at the Beach House - Another Wilson's Snipe!

Who would have thought that on my first venture out since coming back from Florida that I would see another Wilson's Snipe in an area where you would not expect to find one (a vacant field next to a parking lot).  Evidently before I arrived, there were four of them hanging out there. Eventually too many people appeared and he too crept back into the bushes.

Just another view of him.

My first visit of the day had been down to the rock wall at Ft. Fisher as the Avocets were there again.  As usual, I missed them (some day....).  There were any number of Dunlins hanging out though on the small beach by the rock wall.  A Clapper Rail whizzed by as I was standing there as well but too fast for a picture (I will get another one...I will get another oen).

And this fellow was hanging out with them and confirms what my sister says about birds that look alike hanging out together.  You can see this bird is a lot more spotty and has a much smaller beak.  I have tentatively identified him as a Black-bellied Plover in his winter plumage but haven't gotten confirmation.  He was definitely a loner.

There was the usual gang of Dunlins, Oystercatchers and gulls out on the rock wall at high tide but there were also a few terns joining in.  Here are two Forster's Terns standing instead of their usual diving for fish.

There were even a couple of Royal Terns out there with the Godwits and Dunlins.

I couldn't identify the bird in the background here but thought it looked most like a Short-blled Dowitcher.  Don't have confirmation of this either!!  There were several Godwits in the gang of resting birds as well.  It is quite a sight to see all the Oystercatchers, Gulls, Terns, Godwits, Dunlins, Willets and other shorebirds all grouped together on the rock wall at high tide all facing in the wind direction.

Here is another shot of him crowded in with the other birds.  The light was not great that day so am unsure of his leg color but can see the two color beak.

I have to comment that I hurried down to the basin when I received a "birdie" call from new birding friends as my daughter likes to call it alerting me to the Avocet presence.