Buff takes Quonnie

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.