Wed May 19

I stayed near the house in the morning but found a new Osprey to watch for a bit. She was on a platform on the side of a pole, and this crow kept landing on top of the pole to annoy her. After lunch we visited the Elizabethan Gardens outside of Manteo for a bit. Then we decided to take what turned out to be a long drive down around to Lake Mattamuskeet NWR, which is on the mainland south of the Alligator river area. We saw a few more new birds, a beaver/muskrat that dove into the canal, some deer, and a really big alligator. On the drive back on highway 64 there was a big old black bear just grazing on the side of the road, but there was no chance to slow down or stop for a picture. Just glad we saw it.

**Beach morning glory**
Sound side Kill Devil Hills

20210519-cjb_7104 — This nesting Osprey did not like the crow that kept visiting her pole

20210519-cjb_7112 — She got spooked by some visitors playing with their dog in the sound and flew off.

**Immature Great Blue Heron**
near Kitty Hawk Woods

**Azalea blooms in the Elizabethan Gardens**

**Brown Thrasher**
in the Elizabethan Gardens

**Someone had fun with this little statue**

**Green Heron flying over Lake Mattamuskeet**

**Snowy Egret landing**
at Lake Mattamuskeet

**Maybe it stepped on an electric eel?**

**Alligator found near Lake Mattamuskeet**

**Big Alligator**
it was just sunning on the far side of the canal beside the road