January 2011 Photos

Field and Swamp: Animals and Their Habitats

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Archived-by-Date Pages

January 2011

Sandy Creek Park, Durham, NC 1/30/11

This was an unusually warm day, with highs in the mid-60s. Dozens of adult Boxelder Bugs apparently overwintering inside the greenway sewer lines came out. Small spiders were all out and about.

Boxelder Bug, beside trail Boxelder Bugs on top of manhole cover. One seems to be going inside. View of the same Boxelder Bugs from above Probably Purple Deadnettle growing in crack of manhole cover

One of the little spiders running around on the ground Turtle. Photo by Karl Gottschalk Yellow-rumped Warbler. Photo by Karl Gottschalk.

Flat River Impoundment, Durham County, NC (Butner Gamelands) 1/29/11

A windy moment Another place, no wind More trees here Closeup

The Flat River itself. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk Open area. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk A mini-pond. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk Wooded area. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk

Swamp Milkweed seeds More Swamp Milkweed seeds Ring-billed Gull, flying very high above the ground with about 20 others

Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC 1/28/11

I was hoping that these red objects found on the ground were the first flowers of spring, newly fallen out of trees, but inspection using the camera showed that they were fruit from an unknown tree or vine.

Small fruit, about 4 mm in diameter Seeds showing in another fruit

Durham, NC 1/22/11

Yellow-rumped Warbler Carolina Wren White-breasted Nuthatch

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Lake Park, Carolina Beach, New Hanover County, NC 1/18/11

This day was cloudy and cloud cover was light in the afternoon. The lake was partially drained, creating artificial mudflats that the birds took full advantage of.

Male Wood Duck in breeding plumage Juvenile Brown Pelican American Coot Killdeer in flight Killdeer

Male Mallard Female Mallard Male Northern Shoveler Female Northern Shoveler

White Ibis, which has a muddy bill Lesser Yellowlegs, a very small bird. Note that there are no black flank markings. Great Egret, on gazebo roof

Carolina Beach State Park, New Hanover County, NC 1/18/11

Long-leaf Pines, Reindeer Moss, small Live Oaks and fallen branches, deep in the park

Fort Fisher Basin Trail, New Hanover County, NC 1/17/11

The weather started out cloudy and rained most of the day.

Hooded Mergansers, on pond near Aquarium, with grass in foreground Duck (brown head) with eel (according to Ed Corey) prey. Ed and Josh Southern agree that the duck is a female merganser. Turkey Vulture taking off from viewing platform

Subadult White Ibis Snowy Egret at Battery Buchanan Mystery bird, may be Yellow-rumped Warbler (flashes of yellow) Male Boat-tailed Grackle, in Battle Acre parking lot.

Lake Park, Carolina Beach, New Hanover County, NC 1/16/11

It was already getting cloudy.

Subadult Pied-billed Grebe Great Egret This might be a female Redhead.

Fort Fisher Basin Trail, New Hanover County, NC 1/16/11

This was the only sunny day of the trip.

Cape Fear River mudflats, seen from near end of the Basin Trail Dunlins on the mudflats (ID thanks to Dave Lenat). One of many flies seen on washed-up seaweed on the beach

White Ibis White Ibises White Pelican, seen at the Aquarium pond from a great distance Male Hooded Merganser, at the Aquarium pond

Durham, NC 1/10/11

Female Purple Finch Brown Thrasher Male House Finch Yellow-rumped Warbler

Pine Siskins and American Goldfinch Female or immature Purple Finch

Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC 1/6/10

White-throated Sparrows

Durham, NC 1/5/10

Pine Siskin Pine Siskin White-breasted Nuthatch

Copyright © 2011-2020 by Dorothy E. Pugh. All rights reserved. Please contact for rights to use photos.


Boxelder Bug, beside trail	Boxelder Bugs on top of manhole cover. One seems to be going inside.	View of the same Boxelder Bugs from above	Probably Purple Deadnettle growing in crack of manhole cover


One of the little spiders running around on the ground	Turtle. Photo by Karl Gottschalk	Yellow-rumped Warbler. Photo by Karl Gottschalk.


The Flat River itself. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk	Open area. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk	A mini-pond. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk	Wooded area. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk


Swamp Milkweed seeds	More Swamp Milkweed seeds	Ring-billed Gull, flying very high above the ground with about 20 others


Small fruit, about 4 mm in diameter	Seeds showing in another fruit


Male Wood Duck in breeding plumage	Juvenile Brown Pelican	American Coot	Killdeer in flight	Killdeer


Male Mallard	Female Mallard	Male Northern Shoveler	Female Northern Shoveler


White Ibis, which has a muddy bill	Lesser Yellowlegs, a very small bird. Note that there are no black flank markings.	Great Egret, on gazebo roof


Long-leaf Pines, Reindeer Moss, small Live Oaks and fallen branches, deep in the park


Hooded Mergansers, on pond near Aquarium, with grass in foreground	Duck (brown head) with eel (according to Ed Corey) prey. Ed and Josh Southern agree that the duck is a female merganser.	Turkey Vulture taking off from viewing platform


Subadult White Ibis	Snowy Egret at Battery Buchanan	Mystery bird, may be Yellow-rumped Warbler (flashes of yellow)		Male Boat-tailed Grackle, in Battle Acre parking lot.


Subadult Pied-billed Grebe	Great Egret	This might be a female Redhead.


Cape Fear River mudflats, seen from near end of the Basin Trail	Dunlins on the mudflats (ID thanks to Dave Lenat).	One of many flies seen on washed-up seaweed on the beach


White Ibis	White Ibises	White Pelican, seen at the Aquarium pond from a great distance		Male Hooded Merganser, at the Aquarium pond


Female Purple Finch	Brown Thrasher	Male House Finch	Yellow-rumped Warbler


Pine Siskins and American Goldfinch	Female or immature Purple Finch