A little gloom, a LOT of rain

Monday dawned a gloomy day -- a visited a few of my regular spots and had some fun stuff, but the light was terrible for photography most of the time -- my way of apologizing for the less than sharp pix for today. The highlight -- the very uncharacteristicly cooperative Hermit Thrush at Tri-pond Nature Center

Succotash Marsh

Herring Gull

Lesser Yellowlegs

American Oystercatcher

Downy Woodpecker - pecking on reeds

Tri-Pond Nature Center

Hermit Thrush (there were 2, the other was so close I couldn't get a photo)

Finally Tuesday was a day that was somewhat warm & not windy, so I decided to sit at the start of Quonnie Beach (Not the breachway but the beach off of Weekapaug) with my scope and look for the Eared Grebe that has been there for a while. I didn't see it, but I saw a ton of Horned Grebes, ok 10, but most in breeding plumage and I actually saw two of them mating! So cool!

I stayed in Westerly and was rewarded by two new 2024 birds -- Northern Rough-winged Swallow and Barn Swallow, when I went to check and see if my Osprey nest on Niantic Pond was occupied yet (it was). It is a spot that not a lot of birders check -- and sometimes it is full of surprises like today - when I saw one Mute Swan (very rare, they travel in twos or more) and one Canada Goose -- weird.

Weekapaug Lookout

Horned Grebe coming into breeding plumage

Niantic Pond

Female Belted Kingfisher

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Tree Swallow

Barn Swallow

It was supposed to be raining when I woke up on Wednesday and it wasn't, so I quickly grabbed my gear and coffee and headed for Succotash Marsh -- I was rewarded with 5 American Oystercatchers and a tiny (like smaller than usual) American Kestrel! Very expected!

Succotash Marsh

American Oystercatcher

Herring Gull & Osprey

Greater Yellowlegs

American Kestrel (Male)

Hooded Merganser (Female)

Thursday was basically a bust -- the news said it wasn't raining, and then it was -- soooooo much water everywhere. Succotash Marsh had disappeared, it was more like Succotash Pond!

Succotash Marsh -- this is normally mostly Marsh with just a few little kettles and channels of water. I saw two birds - a Snowy egret and an American Black Duck. Wow!

Friday was a trip to the great white north (Maine) to drop off my old eTrike with my cousin. I thought I'd stop on the way to take a chance on seeing the Bohemian Waxwings that have been roaming around en force in Biddeford and Portland. Unfortunately, it was mixed precipitation most of the day and very few birds --- here are two we (my sister came) saw at the Medical Center in Biddeford.

Song Sparrow

Black-capped Chickadee

Did a quick bird on Saturday after a breakfast meeting -- a breeze through the Great Swamp and a stop at Mud Pond -- to see the Glossy Ibis that was reported late yesterday. Saw it but missed the photo, because it surprised me by flying out from the reeds on the near side of the pond to about 20 feet into the reeds on the other side of the pond. The Snowy Egret flyover was my consolation photo. In the afternoon I drove ALL THE WAY to Cumberland to see Greg Miller (made famous by the book/movie - The Big Year) speak. What a funny, humble, interesting guy! Hope to get him to speak on Zoom for Birdability week. Plus there was a map of the Monastery (a hot spot I have never been to, but want to go) and my sister snapped a pix.

The Great Swamp

Osprey

Mud Pond

Snowy Egret

Cumberland Library

Greg Miller

Greg & Me

Monastery Trail Map!

Sunday finally brings sunshine! Went to Narragansett and Charlestown this morning -- Saw lots of Osprey and other usuals. The water is still very very high.

Harbor Island

Great Blue Heron

Snowy Egret

Black-capped Chickadee

Galilee Escape Road

Osprey with breakfast

Succotash Marsh

Greater Yellowlegs

Charlestown Breachway

Osprey mating

Watch Hill Lighthouse

Long-tailed Duck

Great Cormorant

I may check out Quonnie later today (when the tide is lower), but I will include that visit in next week's post. Will be headed north to try and experience the Totality tomorrow -- wish me luck!