For over three weeks a “code 3” vagrant (Black-tailed Godwit) has been seen every day at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. I simply could not remove this bird’s image from my obsessive-compulsive-disordered (?) brain, so I signed out for a vacation day and took off at 3am this morning,….. knowing I absolutely had to attend a Staff meeting at 2pm. I did write VIRGINIA, didn’t I? 200 miles one way. I traveled down the entire uninteresting spine of our first state (Delaware), passed through a portion of Maryland, I think, and hit the Refuge at sunrise. I also made it back to Haverford for my meeting. That left very little time to search for this pretty large, fairly conspicuous, shorebird. (And please don’t diss me about carbon footprint, etc….we are talking Black-tailed Godwit for crying out loud…. and I drive a Hybrid!).
Oh,…. the bird. I didn’t see it. Trying to make myself feel better, all day I kept thinking of the guy from Long Island who arrived at the same time as I did with his teenage son. He must not have slept at all last night. Misery loves company. Of course, they may have spotted this rarity after I departed, once the tide let out and exposed the mudflat feeding ground. Maybe I should have checked that small detail before I left. Ending on a posiitve note….enjoy the photos of some great sightings from last week’s Texas trip.
Altamira Oriole
- Roseate Spoonbill
Great Blue Heron
Eastern Screech Owl
birdtalesblog 
Cool pics G-Dub…you play hookey too much but I love your enthusiasm for our fine feathered friends. Tonight I got in a whistling contest with a robin( I think) while grilling burgers right at dusk. We were communicating for sure,as there were no other birds around…!
“That which does not kill me makes me stronger.”
wonderful birds…..didn’t know they existed
Sorry you didn’t get Godwit…who names these creatures?
Magnificent pix! Keep sluggin’ George!
Arlin S. Green Centura Capital agreen@centuracap.com
You must have a great camera or lenses to take such good photos. xoxoxo Mom
GCW: You are Da Man!!!
George,
I love it! Your photos are always amazing. At least you didn’t tell Charlie you were “hiking the Appalachian Trail”!
Mike
Love that Roseate Spoonbill. Nice pic!
Very tough day, George. I’m tired just reading about it!
You are almost 1/2 way to 700. Are you keeping these blogs towards writing your book?