Kicking off New Year 2014 - Traveler @ Home

Kicking off New Year 2014 -- my two trips to the Atlantic Coast of Maryland and Delaware

On New Year's Day, 2014, I made a trip to Ocean City, Maryland and the Delaware and Maryland Seashores. The main objective was to see the Snowy Owls, as this was a major irruption year for these lovely white avian predators.

First I arrived at Delaware Seashore State Park, where the owls were recently reported, there were already some people who parked on the roadside intently watching toward the dunes, some with binoculars and scopes. Surely they were looking at a Snowy Owl! A beautiful white owl was sitting on the dunes like a snow cone.

(Click on each image to see the high-resolution version)

Snowy Owl

But this was a rather distant view. I drove up and down Delaware Coastal Highway 1, looking for other owls (and maybe other birds). I did not find more owls, but at Rehoboth Beach I did find some waterfowl such as this Redhead and Canvasback in a pond. I did find my first new bird of the year, a Surf Scoter, in the Atlantic Ocean, but I would get better pictures on my second trip, read on.

Redhead

Canvasback

After lunch I went back to the beach where the owl was spotted earlier, hoping to get a better view of it. I did not really expect to find it again, as these birds, like all wildlife, move around at their own will. But I saw a white object in the distance. Half hoping my dream would come true, I trekked on the soft sand for a couple of miles. And my wish was granted, there it was! The owl was sitting nonchalantly on the sand dune. I slowly crept close (along with a few other photographers). We were careful not to walk on the dunes or spook the owl, but the owl was utterly unconcerned with us and let us get very close -- about 30 yards away. We stopped at that distance in order not to scare it off. I finally got very close shots of this magnificent creature.

Snowy Owl

Satisfied, I walked my way back. Just then, as if to put the cherry on my cake, a small flock of Snow Buntings flew by, posing right in front of me. They would be the second new bird for me on this day.

Snow Bunting

On MLK Day, I made yet another trip to Ocean City, Maryland (but this time I did not cross the Delaware line). I was hoping to see Snowy Owls again, but this time, I also decided to "diversify" and enjoy the sea birds.

Interestingly, before I even reached Ocean City, I found a rare bird (actually two, of the same species). I spotted a large flock of swans in the field by the road, and I pulled off the road and took some pictures. Two of the swans (mostly were Tundra Swans) seemed larger and with stouter, straighter bills -- they were in fact Trumpeter Swans.

Trumpeter Swans

My strategy to "diversify" seemed to immediately pay off. Ocean City Inlet turned out to be a prime birding spot. On the jetty I saw a flock of Purple Sandpipers -- the first new bird of this trip and the third of the year -- which allowed me to take many sharp pictures at close range.

Purple Sandpiper

There were many other sea birds -- mostly ducks and loons -- in the inlet. I got my second and third new birds of this trip -- a Common Loon and a Black Scoter at the same place (now, I am not really a "birder"; I just take bird pictures from time to time, but I do keep my list now).

Long-tailed Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Red-breasted Merganser

After lunch I drove to Assateague State Park, still hoping to find another Snowy Owl. This was not to be, however, instead of finding the nearly all-white owl, I found some nearly all-black Turkey Vultures instead, apparently feasting on the carcass of a dolphin.

Turkey Vulture

But some scurrying Sanderlings provided some photo opportunities to save the day.

Sanderling

Winter days are short. It became clear I wouldn't find another Snowy Owl. So I decided to go back to Ocean City Inlet. But I made a short stop at the state park parking lot across the bay and took a picture of a Savannah Sparrow.

Savannah Sparrow

At the inlet, I did not find more new birds, but finding new birds wasn't my objective anyway. I managed to take more pictures.

Common Loon

Red-throated Loon

Long-tailed Duck

Herring Gull

As if to cap off the day the most dazzling sunset greeted me at ths inlet.

Ocean City Inlet Sunset

On these two trips, I logged nearly 800 miles (792 to be exact) and spent over 14 hours on the road, but were they worth it? I would say emphatically: yes!

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