Birds & Turtles

I did not bird on Monday, just drove around a bit, it was supposed to rain all day and I had things to do. I still haven't completed my blog for South East Arizona. Seems like the world is conspiring against completing that task. Of course that was the ONLY time so far this season anyone has spotted a Red Knot at Quonnie. I did find this Yellow-crowned Night-heron at the Weekapaug Breachway Ponds.

Weekapaug Breachway

Common Loon

Tuesday I was back at Quonnie and I headed to Avondale afterward -- the first place I ever saw an Alder Flycatcher -- no luck. Someone saw a Mississippi Kite at Napatree and didn't report it until much later, so I took an hour to sit on my deck and watch the birds go by. No Mississippi Kite, but it was a lovely day to sit on a deck overlooking the ocean.

Piping Plover

Willet

Willow Flycatcher

Avondale Creek

Wednesday found me back at Quonnie early because I was helping with a walk @8am and I wanted to finish my Survey before they showed up. Of course when lots of folks are coming down to Quonnie, that's the when the other birders show up. A visitor for the Summer from Texas was the first two arrive, then two more local birders all of whom abandoned ship before the group descended on the point. Oh yeah and there was the Turtle.

It was a good group -- every engaged and asking great questions. This was just the start of a number of bird events I have coming up. Thursday I am doing a Zoom talk for the Salt Ponds Coalition and next week, Wednesday is a Beach Sit at Quonnie for Ocean State Bird Club, the Thursday we (Maria & I) are leading a walk for the Salt Ponds Coalition. Gotta give back!

Green Heron

Semipalmated Plover

White-rumped Sandpiper

Eastern Painted Turtle

White-rumped Sandpiper

Piping Plover

Dunlin

Willow Flycatcher

Yellow-crowned Night-heron

Common Tern

Thursday I went to Quonnie, but it was raining. This guy was standing next to the Boat Ramp.

Black-crown Night-heron

Short-billed Dowitcher

Drama in the clouds...

Snapping Turtle at Succotash Marsh...

Friday a bunch of Rhode Island birders when on a Pelagic -- we got some good birds including a Northern Fulmar - a lifer for me, but there was not a lot of action. The captain seems to think the construction of the new wind turbines is making so much noise -- they pound these HUGE pilons into the sea floor -- he says he can here it from six miles away. He suspect the Whale watch business will not be great this year either. My friend Sue got a photo of what we think is an Juvi Atlantic Puffin -- very exciting for her and the community that there was a Puffin in the state.

Wind Turbines...

Northern Gannett

Sooty Shearwater

Mola Mola

Great Shearwater

Horseshoe Crab

Saturday back to Quonnie but again it was chilly & windy and the usual suspects, so I did not stay long.

Willet

Piping Plover

Short-billed Dowitcher

Willet

Short-billed Dowitcher

Laughing Gull

Short-billed Dowitcher

In the "I learn something new about birds every day" category. I was sitting in my usual spot this morning. In the distance I saw a mostly white bird land (and struggle for purchase) on the top of a tree. It looked like either a tern or a small gull. After much analysis I am fairly certain it was a juvenile Bonaparte's Gull (pink legs & black band on tail). The another one came along and the two of them perched on a wider neighboring tree. I didn't think Gulls were physically able to perch in trees -- apparently only Bonaparte's (which are tiny) and then only with a bit of effort.

Quonnie was beautiful Sunday morning -- Finally lots of Short-billed Dowitchers and the usual peeps, at one point I had over 100 birds. Two Black Skimmers (that I didn't see at Quonnie last year) flew over and had a nice close flyby of 4 American Oystercatchers. A loose Dog in the Salt Marsh flushed everybody just before high tide (very high I had to keep moving back) and the boat people blasting music before 7am and waiting too long to obey the No Wake signs made my little friends flush a lot, but they came back. Not a lot of Gulls or Terns, but that was ok. I had my peeps. Also the Bonaparte's Gulls in the trees were back -- maybe we'll have breeders...

Quonnie Breachway

A frisky Male Semipalmated Sandpiper looking for a mate... any mate...

Short-billed Dowitcher

White-rumped Sandpiper

Short-billed Dowitcher

Laughing Gull

Short-billed Dowitcher

Bonaparte's Gulls in trees

The point on Bill's Island

The peeps!

Mink on the Breachway

Willow Flycatcher

My sweet Mom at Cap'n Jacks Nest this morning -- she was out of the nest when I arrived, so I am very concerned something happened to her eggs/chicks.

A good week -- hoping for an even better one next week. Stay Tuned.