Crystal Canterbury

Change is in the air.

Cooler temperatures have brought out coats, flannels, and long pants. Flip-flops are being replaced with boots; heat is being turned on in homes and vehicles.

Over Halloween weekend we had a Nor-Wester, or something to that effect, during the Pirate Jamboree, and after a few days of mild temperatures, the cooler winds from the north have returned.  But the sun is still shining, the ferries are running, and this time of year makes the village pretty quiet and still. The beach, however, is bustling with shore bird activity!

Pelicans, Cormorants, & Loons! Oh My!

Pelicans, Cormorants, and Loons! Oh my! These coastal, ocean-loving birds are excellent at catching fish, which is pretty convenient considering that’s their main source of food, but their migratory patterns may come as a surprise. Double-crested Cormorants and Loons are both able to swim underwater to chase and catch fish, and look like small torpedoes while doing so; whereas Pelicans plunge into the water – sometimes from 65 feet in the air using precise angles to prevent injury – and scoop up to 2.5 gallons of water in their pouch in order to catch their prey.

Double-crested Cormorants do not have a natural water-repellent on their feathers, so they are often seen with their wings spread out to dry before taking flight. Loons, during winter, look similar to Cormorants in color, but are comparable in size and shape to ducks. Plus Cormorants are a bit gangly and awkward in appearance, and that whole thing with air-drying their wings before taking flight sets Cormorants apart from Loons.

Cormorants.
Cormorants.

White Ibises, who prefer the saltmarsh habitat over the ocean, are also present here, and can be observed in good-sized flocks. While we'll be seeing lots of movement from these feathered friends, they like the East Coast, and they may be traveling back and forth from Maryland to Florida, and even into the Gulf Coast during the winter months. Some of the only shore birds that truly migrate for the winter months are those located along the coast north of Maryland. Otherwise they pretty much stay put as long as there are adequate food supplies.

A couple of exceptions come from Killdeers and Plovers. Their migratory patterns are scattered, inconsistent, and difficult to track. Some stay here, others go across the country to California, and some go to the Gulf Coast. They are totally discombobulated.

Brown Pelicans love barrier islands, and tend to hang out and breed on naturally occuring islands and also those created from dredging. Pelicans can be spotted in estuaries and mangrove inlets in Florida and Louisiana, and they are commonly seen from Maryland all the way down to Venezuela, and from southern California through southern Equador. Occassionally these unique-looking birds will breed in far northern points such as New York and British Columbia, but they're most commonly seen in our neck of the Atlantic. Pelicans are also notorious for perching on just about anything, waiting for fish scraps, and they will not hesitate to follow fishing boats in the hopes of receiving a meal. On an aside, I have distinct memories of my mom exclaiming, "Ooooooo! PELICANS!" while we were on family vacations on the east coast. I therefore dedicate the Pelican paragraph and photos to my mom.

Pelican hanging out with cormorants.
Pelican hanging out with cormorants.

Double-crested Cormorants have similar habits as Pelicans, but they tend to move around in flocks of hundreds or thousands. Seeing that many birds is quite a sight, and it's one I got to experience while walking on the beach recently. Some of the Cormorants flew in straight lines, but others were flying in waves. It looked like they were on a rollercoaster, so maybe they had been near Busch Gardens recently? Cormorants are social birds; they like to stick together, but they are also accepting of other birds. Pelicans and Seagulls are frequently seen flying amongst flocks of Cormorants, and while each type of bird flies in their own specific flock formation, they all coexist in one large movement. Watching them is awe-inspiring. Cormorants adapt easily to salt and fresh water habitats, breeding along coastal areas and wintering along freshwater lakes. When searching for food, they fly just above the water and are experts at catching small fish. Cormorants - while lean and narrow in shape -are solid, heavy-boned birds. When floating in water much of their body is submerged, primarily leaving just their long snake-like neck, head, and hooked bill visible.

Loons like this area of the world too, especially during the winter. In summer months Loons have black and white scalloped plumage and are most commonly seen in Canada. During the winter their feathers become a dark grey and they can be spotted all over the U.S., mainly while migrating.

Double-crested cormorant.
Double-crested cormorant.

Their color change can confuse them with Cormorants but, as I mentioned previously, they are shaped and sized more like ducks. Loons are very sensitive to sounds and disturbances from humans, so if you see any admire them from a distance. Loons like quiet habitats, and when they aren't diving for fish they are resting. They actually rest more than they fish or fly. That kind of sounds awesome. They also aren't picky when it comes to water habitats. Loons can thrive in areas with salt or fresh water, and will set up camp along rivers, lakes, estuaries, and coast lines. As long as there are fish, Loons are happy. Their calls, which are all distinct and used to locate or warn one another, are quite eerie and borderline creepy. Loons are able to wail, hoot, and yodel. I find the yodel to be exceptionally haunting.

Immature white ibis.
Immature white ibis.

Another type of bird that will stay here throughout the year is the White Ibis. You probably aren't likely to see them on the beach, but if you go through any saltmarsh areas or where rain water has collected, there is a strong chance you'll see some. These long-legged waders are easily identified because of their long, curved, orange bills and matching orange legs. Adults have white plaumage and black-tipped wings, while juveniles have light brown plumage. They nest in trees and move around in groups.

On Ocracoke, Off Road Vehicle (ORV) Ramp 72 is a hotspot for White Ibises, where they have trees to nest and the saltmarsh to probe for food. On numerous occassions I have seen White Ibises at the Ocracoke Lighthouse after a good rain. Water tends to collect on the grassy area to the left of the boardwalk, which makes the White Ibises quite happy due to the amounts of insects and snails. These birds prefer living along the southeastern coast of the U.S. - North Carolina is the farthest north they go - but some also live along the Gulf Coast and in parts of southern California and South America.

If you're interested in listening to any bird calls, go to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology website. I learned of the website through my mom (who is an avid birdwatcher), and have truly enjoyed listening to the bird sounds.

Pelicans, Cormorants, & Loons! Oh My!
Loon!
Loon!
Another loon.
Another loon.
Ooooooo! Pelicans!
Ooooooo! Pelicans!
Pelicans, Cormorants, & Loons! Oh My!
Pelicans, Cormorants, & Loons! Oh My!
Pelicans, Cormorants, & Loons! Oh My!