Birding on coast offers a fun change of pace

This week’s column comes to you from Ocean Isle Beach, where I spend every Thanksgiving. The birding is always great here at any season and offers a change of pace.

Reports from the northeastern United States from a couple of weeks ago indicated eastern invasions of both Franklin’s gulls and cave swallows. Both are western species that show up in large numbers on the east coast every few years. I have spent a good amount of time looking for both but I haven’t found any yet. All the time in the field hasn’t been for naught though. I was able to reconnect with a couple of shorebird friends that I have gotten to know over the years.

A flock of 17 American oystercatchers contained two banded individuals. Through a scope I was able to read the lettered code on each and determined both were birds that I have seen before. In fact, the bird with “XI” on each leg has been wintering at Ocean Isle Beach for years after spending the nesting seasons at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

The other bird, “05” is from New Jersey and also apparently has adopted Ocean Isle as its winter retreat also. “XI” seems to like areas where birders frequent too. That bird has been re-sighted 28 times since it was a chick in 2007. For more information on the work being done with American oystercatchers, go to http://amoywg.org/

I get a feeling of contentment whenever I can report resighting a banded bird. It lets me know they are living their lives and doing OK.

Tuesday afternoon I had a pleasant surprise when an American golden-plover decided to drop in on the first fairway of Brick Landing Golf Course on its way to South America. Golden-plovers are regular but uncommon migrants through the Carolinas so it is always a treat to see one. I was able to study this bird at leisure as it picked insects off the short grass.

And there is news from back home too. I have reports of three hummingbirds coming to feeders from counties surrounding Mecklenburg , but none as yet from that county. I expect to receive some more this weekend. Remember to keep those feeders up and fresh.

This story was originally published November 25, 2015 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Birding on coast offers a fun change of pace."