2003 Fairfax Audubon Tunnel Vision

Hello everybody!!

These pictures were taken during the Fairfax Audubon Society's "Tunnel Vision" birding trip to the Chesakpeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in January of 2003.

We drive out to the islands housing the bridges and tunnels (you need a special permit, especially if you're weird enough to be watching birds in January) and then we stand around out in the wind in the bay in the middle of the winter and say things like, "Ooooooh, a Gannet!!".

Here are our Harlequins. The really good-looking one never did pose properly. Ducks!

Closer, but he would just never turn into the light! Agh! Ducks!

I wish I could have recorded these guys peeping!

Here he comes! A perfect two-point landing.

And now, an American Oystercatcher will put on a death-defying display of standing around.

Purple Sandpiper. A life nerd for me! Sorry about the glare from the snow. But it does illuminate his tummy!

Our little Pipit, having a good rouse. It's not easy being this cute!

Here's our little Pipit, on the move again.

It must have been much warmer back in the grass, look how much less our Pipit is fluffed up. Not a bad shot of his head markings.

Here's our busy little Sanderling. He never would hold still!

I suppose we'll have to forgive him never holding quite still for a photo. Even slightly blurred, he's a cutie!

Alright let's hear it Kurt: Which are Greaters and which are Lessers?

A flock of the rare, endangered Goretex Pill Bugs. Bonkus lunaticii. Winter plumage.

This was about the best shot I got of the Scoters. Being mostly dark with bright white spots it's hard to get a clear picture of them.

This little Savannah Sparrow obligingling posed!

Then politely requested a halt to the papparazzi attention.

A Great Blue explaining the meaning of "personal space" to a couple of hooded mergansers.

Busy little peeps, doing their thing.

This Greater Yellowlegs was surprisingly well camoflauged in the mud flats. I had a hard time finding him if he didn't move.

Ned's Rufous Hummingbird! Note that even with his tail folded the orange sides of it are visible.

A bit blurry, but he was good enough to show us his little orange rump!

This was the best I could do with our thousands of Gannetts. They were just too far.

I couldn't believe this little Phoebe! He just sat and posed! If anyone is wondering - I never did get a shot of the Brown-headed Nuthatch.

Yellow-rumped Warbler, facing the sunset. Adieu to the day, and to our trip. Peep!

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