Monday I started the day at Quonnie, but mostly the usual suspects so not many photos. Next up was Weekapaug and I had a nice visit with some shore birds at Spray Rock and lots of Wading birds on Atlantic Avenue.
Quonnie Breachway
Willet
Spray Rock Lookout
Least Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Atlantic Avenue
Egrets & Herons
Tuesday morning the Buff-breasted Sandpiper arrived, a surprise. I stopped to take photos on my way out. I thought it might be a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, but wasn't sure... meant to check when I got to the car, but got distracted. As I was checking the photos, someone else reported it. Yup it was a Buff-breasted Sandpiper.
It was @3 hours later. I've only see this species at Quonnie once before and it was @15 seconds -- it landed, I saw it, Peter Fish took a photo (thank goodness because I don't think people would have believed me). It was the first time I had seen one.
This one clearly was poised to hang around - it was still there this afternoon -- its a pretty bird I don't get much time with.
Quonnie Breachway
Wildfire smoke from Canada makes for an intense sunrise
Black-bellied Plover
Forster's Tern
Laughing Gull
Forster's Tern
Black-bellied Plover
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Juvi Yellow Crowned Night Heron
Black-bellied Plover
On Wednesday was excited to get to Quonnie hoping to see the Buff-breasted Sandpiper again. I was not disappointed. There were other birds, but Buff as I've come to call it, dominated the photos & videos.
Quonnie Breachway
Sunrise courtesy of the Canadian Wildfires
Buff-breasted Sandpiper - greeted me at the entrance in the dark...
Great Blue Heron
Short-billed Dowitcher
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
On Wednesday evening I got a call from a Quonnie resident who happened to be away telling me there was a Brown Booby on West Beach in Quonnie. I was at a golf dinner with my brother-in-law and really couldn't talk at the time. 45 minutes later I headed down there to see what was up after a call to my friend Sue who was also nearby.
Trekked out to the bird with my dinner clothes on -- at least I had comfortable sandals on. Down an uneven path, soft sand, beach stairs, shells, more soft sand and some harder packed sand. Turns out it was a Northern Gannett and it was injured. After much calling around for a rescue and a falling darkness, the bird was taken to a rehab, but unfortunately could not be saved. I got my workout that night.
West Beach, Quonnie
Immature Northern Gannett
Buff was still there on Thursday, but I didn't stay too long. I wanted to go to the Airport to see the Cliff Swallow.
Quonnie Breachway
Another sunrise courtesy of the Canada Wildfires
Common Tern
Egret flock stalking the morning Double-crested Cormorant flotilla
Least Tern and Sand Eel
Red-breasted Merganser out of season & molting
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Salt-marsh Sparrow
Winslow Park (near TF Green Airport)
Eastern Bluebird -- that is serious Barbed Wire!
Less serious Barbed Wire -- same species
Cliff Swallow -- white headlight
Had lots of company on Friday when friends came out to finally see Buff. He was still there. Nice variety of plumages in Forster's Terns.
Quonnie Breachway
Smoke enhanced Sunrise
Semipalmated Sandpiper fracas
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Snowy Egret & Laughing Gull
Common Tern
Piping Plover
Forster's Tern
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Forster's Tern
Interesting plumage - Forster's Tern
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Forster's Tern
Snowy Egret
Saturday was just the usual suspects -- it looks like Buff is gone.
Quonnie Breachway
Pectoral Sandpiper
Glossy Ibis flyover -- somewhat unusual
Sunday dawned gloomy with occasional rain. I drove around for a bit, but took no photos. Lots to do at home today, so the poor weather is welcome, but I hope we are getting it early -- two events the next few days -- a Walk at Quonnie for the Salt Ponds Coalition and a Beach Sit at Quonnie for Ocean State Bird Club. Praying to the weather gods for decent conditions.
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