Anchors Aweigh!

Barbara Seith
Jun 4, 2023
2 min read

It is a week of not one, but two pelagics (birding boat trip) in two different states. The week started with me assiduously avoiding Quonnie on Memorial Day. I started the morning on my porch listening to an Eastern Whip-poor-will! Then off to Succotash before the beach hordes & police descend.

Short-billed Dowitcher

Willet

Short-billed Dowitcher in better light!

Dunlin

Black-bellied Plover

Bunny

Song Sparrow

The ubiquitous Gray Catbird

The off to a local pond that often has interesting Terns & Gulls

Today's star -- the tiny Bonaparte's Gull

Common Grackle with Breakfast

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Tuesday was again an early morning but this time was to catch the rising tide just before High Tide. I was rewarded by triple the number of Red Knots than were there originally, please a few other lovelies.

Red Knots

Red Knot & Ruddy Turnstone

Black-bellied Plover

Piping Plover

Semipalmated Plover

Yellow Warbler

Greater Yellowlegs

Great Black-backed Gull with Breakfast Skate (?)

When I left Quonnie I saw a few goats -- that I was not familiar with on Ross Hill Road

American Pygmy Goat

Angora Goat

Off the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge for a few birds and a bunch of Flora

Field Sparrow

Gray Catbird

Flora

To round out Tuesday, a painting of the bird of the week last week -- also the 300th RI bird for a friend of mine. Tricolored Heron!

Wednesday's local Ferry ride was rather quiet, but great practice for tomorrow.

Great Egret

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Gray Seal

Wilson's Storm-petrel

Doing a separate post for Land birding in Maine & Pelagic birding in Maine.

Saturday I had a Gosling-palooza in Avondale.

Baby Goslings

Teenage Goslings

Sunday morning at a Cold quiet Quonnie. It was a full moon last night so there were Horseshoe crabs abounding (which is why the Red Knots are still here too).

The Crabs emerge from the water during the nighttime high tide, lay some eggs and many burrow into the sand. When the next hightide approaches, they start to move again. The Females are larger and when they mate the Males mount them from the back. You can see their paths in the sand.