Red Sky at Night, Sailor's Delight!

Pop goes the weasel!

As I watched the sunset over the creek tonight I encountered the most beautiful surprise: a pair of river otters! I’ve only seen them once before, at low tide, and certainly did not expect to find them swimming around during high tide this evening.

I often use my camera as binoculars when nature watching, which is how I identified the otters tonight. Less than twenty feet from our dock I noticed two small, dark blobs bobbing on top of the water. I immediately zoomed in with my camera to see what it was. It wasn’t until they submerged their heads underwater that I realized they were otters (not trash) floating in the creek.

Below photo shows the head and tail/body of a mature river otter.

Earlier today I’d noticed an indention in the swampy mud that created a stream during low tide from the outer banks of the creek, directly under where these otters were now swimming. At the time I thought perhaps a raccoon had left a trail in the creek while digging for fiddler crabs, but in hindsight there’s a good chance a family of sliding river otters had left the path from their borough at the water ‘s edge.

I am delighted to record sighting these river otters on Futch Creek, as their range and numbers across the country have been drastically reduced as a result of habitat loss and their sensitivity to environmental pollution. The river otters averagely weigh between 10-30 pounds and usually extend 26-42 inches in length (with their tails ranging between 10-24 inches long). “Otters swim by propelling themselves with their powerful tails and flexing their long bodies. They also have webbed feet, water repellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils and ears that close in the water.”

They prefer to eat fish and use their whiskers to help detect fish in brackish waters. River otters can remain underwater for up to 8 minutes, “swim at speeds approaching 11 km/h, dive to depths nearing 20 meters, and travel up to 400 meters while underwater. Several river otters may even cooperate while fishing.” While fish predominantly compose their diet, their diet may also include “fruits, reptiles and amphibians, birds, aquatic insects, small mammals, and mollusks.”

Out of the water, river otters can walk, run, slide and jump. River otters are also renowned for their playful manner. Although, the otter photographed tonight most certainly seemed to be searching for its dinner. After we spotted each other it primarily spent it’s time swimming under water, only showing its head one or two more times.

Hooded Mergansers: Coolin Off

Group, above, flying off. The two photos directly below show a female (bottom photo) and male (1st photo below) potentially courting each other by flapping their wings stationary as they cool off in the morning high tide.

This photo below shows the difference between the male and female mergansrs, with the female hooded mergansers swimming on the right. Young males also appear brown as the females do.

"The information on territoriality and pair formation in this species is scarce. The timing and duration of pair formation is uncertain. Some birds return to the breeding ground together as mated pairs; others participate in courtship and mating rituals after arriving...Female Hooded Mergansers show strong philopatry, returning to the same breeding area, but not necessarily the same nest site, as in previous years. Nesting begins as early as February and early March in the lower latitudes and milder regions of the merganser’s range."

This is the largest flock of Mergansers I've been able to capture on the creek this season. Hooded Mergansers are the only type of Merganser that breeds and winters entirely in North America. Hooded Mergansers are most commonly from Great Lakes region and eastern Canada, but are also found in the Pacific Northwest. Mergansers migrate south, and seem to enjoy Futch Creek as a resting place during the colder winter months. They prefer calm, clear waters with a sand or pebbled bottom, surrounded by deciduous woods.

The three male Mergansers above lead the line of (male & female) Mergansers meandering through the marsh. It appears that this might be a courtship group of Mergansers, even though they don't breed until early Spring. "Courtship groups consist of one to two females and several males. Males perform courtship rituals and displays, including crest-raising, head-shaking, head-throws, and head-pumping. Although normally silent, males make several vocalizations during some courtship displays. The most common is a rolling, frog-like call that is given immediately after a male performs a head-throw display. Males also may make short display flights. If anything, females perform only head-pumping displays." A few pictures above show the female first making a possible courtship 'dsplay' flight and then the male.

These images are of breeding male mergansers.

A hooded Merganser above takes the dive!

Tight group of breeding male and female Mergansers enjoying the morning high tide.

These pictures were taken of a small flock during high tide rising. I try to remain hidden when I photograph them because they fly away as soon as they see me. Mergansers are a quiet duck that depend on their eyesight to survive. They have spectacular vision, as they hunt fish based on their sight, and then dive after them with their nictitating membrane (third eyelid) protecting their eyes as goggles when they dive.

Hooded Mergansers in flight.

Male Hooded Merganser on left, and female on right.

Sources: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/nestinginfo/bios/sp_accts/home and http://www.allaboutbirds.org/

Rainbow over Futch Creek: 11.29.11

The sky glowed a golden yellow and then this rainbow appeared! Thanks Carol J. for the beautiful pictures.

Lea Island: Unspoiled Beauty

Undeveloped beaches such as this are incredibly rare to find. Aside from Bird Island & Masonboro Island, Lea Island (which now also includes Hutaff island after shoaling in the inlet merged the two islands) is the only other undeveloped barrier island in the state of North Carolina. Lea island "supports one of the largest colonies of nesting terns and skimmers. In addition, federally threatened Piping Plover and Loggerhead turtles nest on the island. Thousands of shore birds stop over during the spring and fall migration." We are truly lucky to have this gem at the base of our neighborhood. Lea island is just south of Topsail Island and less than a 5 minute boat ride from the Porter's Neck Plantation community boatramp. The Audubon Society purchased 35.7 acres of Lea Island for preservation and protection. This Great White Egret was hunting in the Marshes around Lea island and Figure Eight. You can tell it's on the hunt by the way it's neck is stretched out. These next two photos are taken from the sound side of Lea Island. A short beach trail from here leads to the ocean side of Lea Island. “Over half of Lea Island (Hutaff remains in private ownership) has been protected, and both N.C. Coastal Land Trust and Audubon continue working with remaining owners to protect the lots still in private ownership... During the spring and summer, the island is a haven for nesting shorebirds such as Piping Plover, Wilson’s Plover, and American Oystercatcher, and other nesting birds including Black Skimmer and Least Tern. The island represents the southernmost documented breeding site for Piping Plover, a federally threatened bird named for its melodic call. Clapper Rails nest in great numbers in the marshes bordering the island. Nelson’s Sparrow and Seaside Sparrow are abundant during the fall and winter and the island is recognized as a globally significant site for Saltmarsh Sparrow. At other times of year, numerous migrating and wintering shorebirds flock here, numbering a thousand or more during the peak of migration" (Audubon North Carolina).

"The coastal zone of North Carolina that we know today is not permanent. It has evolved hroughout its history. These changes, which can be both imperceptibly gradual or sudden and violent, continue today and will do so into the future."

(NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL GEOLOGY COOPERATIVE RESEARCH, ECU)

Belted Kingfisher

The Kingfishers can be spotted along Futch Creek year round, but this morning they seemed especially abundant, as I could hear them along my whole paddle (their loud call sounds like fast clicks, as if a speedy typist). However, they are such swift birds that I haven't been able to capture their photo until today. From my observations, they spend most of their time flying up and down the creek at a fast pace, and perched along the branches along the creek bank.

There are many classifications of King Fishers, but I often only see blue ones with white bellies along the creek, known as the Belted Kingfisher for its white belt around it's neck (it's hard to see it's blue in the photos above because of the shade). They're a medium sized bird, and also have a small white dot in front of their eyes. Even though they dive head first to get a fish, they return to branches to eat. "Parents drop dead fish into water, teaching the young to dive."

Video of Hooded Merganser with Osprey Calling in Background

The title of this post pretty much sums it up. This video briefly shows a friendly hooded Merganser (less than 10 feet from my kayak) with an Osprey calling in the background during the second half of the clip. Warning, I'm not the steadiest videographer!

Duck and Dive: Mergansers & Cormorants

It's that time of year where the creek is bustling with ducks of many varieties, including the Hooded Mergansers & Double Crested Cormorants. While Cormorants can be spotted in the Carolinas throughout the year, the Mergansers are migratory birds from the North (Canada). As mentioned in a lower post, the Mergansers voluntarily lift and lower their White crest. The Cormorants rarely show their double crests; the name Cormorants means "sea crow". While I've only seem them individually so far on the creek, when on the barrier island (lea island, not far from Futch Creek) I spotted a huge flying V formation of them (probably 10-30 birds). Both the Mergansers and the Cormorants dive for fish.

Like most birds, this Cormorant flew away as soon as I approached.

This friendly "Hooded" Merganser let me paddle within 6 feet of it, as it seemed to groom itself. It didn't show me it's white hooded crest, but the video clip above shows it pecking at its body.

Great Blue Heron hanging out with a group of Hooded Mergansers. The Mergansers little white heads surround the heron. It appears the heron is hunting, the way its neck is stretched out.

Below: These two Mergansers look to each other before flying away (photo on left)

A New Visitor on Futch Creek: Hooded Mergansers

Hooded Mergansers

(Above, Male Hooded Merganser on left and female on right)

A cool fog and high tide revealed new visitors to Futch Creek this morning. Here to stay for the Winter, these Hooded Mergansers travelled all the way down from Canada and are diving birds. Their distinguishing features include a black bill and a crest "hood" that lifts white hairs. The males lift and lower their crests to show off their large white "hoods." The females are brown with a brown crest hood. They often nest with wood ducks, which greatly resemble these Mergansers, and can be found in a nest with up to 20-25 eggs (Female Mergansers share nests, with each female laying 10-12 eggs, and also share their nests with Wood ducks.)Groups of three to a dozen were spotted along Futch Creek at the end of November. The Mergansers prefer wooded habitats, and can be seen in shallow ponds, lakes and rivers.

Our Coastal Community:Porter's Neck Plantation & Futch Creek

Great WhiteEgret & Tricolored heron hunting together. These different classifications of herons often share nesting grounds too.

Osprey in its nest along the bank of the creek

A coomon sight along thecreek, a great white egret soars.

An exceptionally hi tide from a new moon (also known asa spring tide)

sunset after hurricane Irene.

Aerial view of futch creek.

"The study of nature is a limitless field, the most fascinating adventure in the world."-- Margaret Morse Nice

Nature surrounds and abounds us.

Nestled in the woods and flowing into the Intracoastal Waterway of the Atlantic, Futch Creek is one of the few salt creeks in Southeastern North Carolina that still remains partly undeveloped, leaving woods and creek shores inhabited by numerous coastal birds and other woodland animals. Additionally, there are miles upon miles of undeveloped barrier island, known as Lea island, at the mouth of Futch creek and the Intracoastal. One of the most natural neighborhoods in the county, Porter’s Neck Plantation (PNP) has found a fine balance between community & conservation-- preserving the bountiful woods and habitat that supports a bustling wildlife of birds and mammals alike.

Lea island and the other small barrier islands that protect PNP from the ocean provide precious nesting grounds to a myriad of birds-- including Terns, Swallows, Pelicans, Kingfishers, and many more. Osprey, also known as Seahawks, and Herons --including the Great Egret, Great Blue Herons, and Green Herons—are regal and permanent residents on Futch Creek, despite their dwindling numbers in the past few years. Among many other fish, Red drum, Flounder, and even Dolphins can be found swimming in Futch creek.

Inland, the woods chime with Cardinals, Blue Jays, Buntings (in the spring and summer), Wrens, Finches, Sparrows, Woodpeckers—including the Pileated and Red Headed woodpecker—and even owls and an occasional hawk. Deer, fox, squirrels, raccoons, and coyotes coexist within the woods below. I take much fascination from these special coastal woodlands that I’m lucky to call home and I hope to use this blog as a place to document the beautiful sightings within our community rich with wildlife.

We live in a precious ecosystem that constantly changes from the shifting tides and human development that surrounds it. Amidst this great beauty, it’s nice to stop in our busy lives and appreciate the majestic woods and marshlands that surround our homes.

Some inspiring nature quotes reflected in our woods:

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."-- John Muir, (1838 - 1914) essayist, conservationist

"Birds should be saved for utilitarian reasons; and, moreover, they should be saved because of reasons unconnected with dollars and cents. . . [T]o lose the chance to see frigate-birds soaring in circles above the storm, or a file of pelicans winging their way homeward across the crimson afterglow of the sunset, or a myriad of terns flashing in the bright light of midday as they hover in a shifting maze above the beach - why, the loss is like the loss of a gallery of the masterpieces of the artists of old time."-- Theodore Roosevelt, (1859-1919) 26th President of the United States, historian, naturalist, explorer

"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us.When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."-- Aldo Leopold "Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts."-- Rachel Carson, (1907-1964) marine biologist, nature writer, environmentalist

"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you."-- Frank Lloyd Wright, (1867 - 1959) architect

"I go to Nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more."-- John Burroughs, (1837 - 1921) naturalist, essayist

"What a country chooses to save is what a country chooses to say about itself." -- Mollie Beattie ( 1947-1996) Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1993-1996

"A bird in the bush is worth two in the hand"-- Frank Chapman, (1864 - 1962) ornithologist, author, conservationist "We cannot win this battle to save species and environments without forging an emotional bond between ourselves and nature as well - for we will not fight to save what we do not love." -- Stephen Jay Gould

"If you want to see birds, you must have birds in your heart." -- John Burroughs

"How rich will we be when we have converted all our forests, our soil, our water resources, and our minerals into cash?"-- Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling, (1876 - 1962) artist/cartoonist, conservationist, head of the U.S. Biological Survey - 1934-35