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Common Eider, Long-tailed Duck (Oldsquaw) at Murrell's Inlet



Hi Everybody,
I was on the Huntington Beach jetty before sunrise Saturday morning.  A
truly magnificent place to be at the start of a day.  My first indication
that it would be a good morning was finding a Peregrine Falcon on one of the
jetty markers.  As the sun came up the Falcon limbered up and flew away.  I
later relocated it back in the salt marsh at its usual place (look low
between the base of the jetty and the house with the columns as previously
reported).  The Northern Gannet were quite close off the end of the jetty in
the early morning.  Next at the jetty pond was the dark phase Reddish Egret
doing its dance thing.  Several Piping Plover were also present.  Next with
the increasing better light was to look around the jetty rocks for Purple
Sandpipers et al.  Not much on my side but the Garden Beach side jetty had a
large flock of Purple Sandpipers.  Just beyond the jetty rocks was a good
size flock of sea ducks.  In addition to the expected regulars was a female
COMMON EIDER.  A Common Eider was reported here originally by Steve Shutz
and Kent Fiala.  The bird was at the west (submerged) end of the north
jetty.  I originally scoped it from the Huntington Beach jetty side but it
was difficult to get a truly decent view.  As earlier suggested I then went
around to the Garden Beach side to great success.  I was able to get to
about 50+ yards of the bird.  I tried for a photograph but just didn't have
enough lens to make it worth taking the photograph.   I also had 2
Long-tailed Ducks (Oldsquaw) and many Black and Surf Scoters.  I looked for
a White-winged Scoter for about 6 hours altogether but no luck there (not
that I am complaining after adding two very unexpected state birds - the
Common Eider and Long-tailed Ducks).  Also if interest at HBSP Saturday:
Orange-crowned Warbler
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Marsh Wren
Bald Eagle
Black Duck
Gadwall
Ring-neck Duck
Hooded Merganser
Great Cormorants on the markers in Murrell's Inlet.
Red Knots

And a Great Day,

Stephen Harris
srharris@mindspring.com
Charlotte, NC