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Writer's pictureBarbara Seith

An Embarrassment of Birds!

Updated: Aug 28, 2023

Well -- not exactly but I had a very good week in a couple of days. New birds every day until Friday -- when it started raining again.


Monday was still cool and kind of windy this morning, but at times nothing on the point (near me). The only exciting thing to happen today, I did not get a photo of. I had a Marbled Godwit fly across the parking lot as I was pulling into Quonnie. By the time I stopped the car and grabbed my camera, it was out of range. The rest of the session was uneventful but I was joined again by Linda – so very good company! Still managed a few bird moments at Quonnie.


Gathering of the Cormorants -- but what I like about this is the photobombing Least Tern at the bottom right and the little fish jumping about 1/2 way up on the left side (brave creature)

Double-crested Cormorant

Semipalmated Sandpipers

Laughing Gulls

Least Sandpiper & Semipalmated Sandpiper

Ruddy Turnstone

Green Heron

Quonnie has been stocked with the usuals lately but I made a quick stop there on Tuesday before heading to Hammonasett which doesn't open until 8am. Turns out I went to Church.

The congregation (Double-crested Cormorants)

Great Black-backed Gull holding on to breakfast -- barely

Willet

Common Loon

Clam

Green Heron

Off to Hammonasett in CT because they have been visited by lots of fun birds lately. I got to spend a bunch of time with a bird I finally recognize (Baird's Sandpiper), an old friend (Little Blue Heron) and some randoms. The light and weather were beautiful. My bird palette is cleansed.

Little Blue Heron

Snowy Egret


Lesser Yellowlegs

Least Sandpiper

Baird's Sandpiper

Semipalmated Sandpiper & Baird's Sandpiper

Baird's Sandpiper (Larger bird in Center) with Least & Semipalmated Sandpipers

Baird's & Least Sandpiper

Least, Baird's & Semipalmated Sandpipers

Least & Baird's Sandpiper

These Sandpipers kept returning to the puddle on the sidewalk despite the foot (and bicycle) traffic! I got lots of practice finding the Baird's flush after flush.

Northern Mockingbird - I love their eyes & expressions

European Starling

House Finch

Was on a boat for 9 hours Wednesday -- My first real pelagic in Rhode Island -- lovely weather, just a bit of rolling on the way out -- lots of great bird time! I got four new RI year birds and some great moments with pelagic (Live at sea) birds I was not as familiar with & we had Whales & Dolphins too. Plus great to be in the company of birders. Learned a LOT - and that is really fun for me. Grateful to the organizers! Here are some photos.

Wilson's Storm Petrel (they are tiny & look like they walk on water)

There were hundreds of these birds -- Great Shearwaters. Even the most seasoned birders on the boat were amazed at the number of birds. Fantastic!




Leucistic Great Shearwater -- a Great Shearwater with blonde plumage -- a rarity!

Manx Shearwater

Cory's Shearwater -- note the lighter plumage and large yellow bill

Sooty Shearwater (at the start of the trip I was told this bird wouldn't be around this time of year -- we saw 15) - that's the kind of trip it was voluminous!

Great Shearwater & Wilson's Storm Petrel

Common Dolphin

Humpback Whale

Common Loon

Lots of birds!

After returning from the day long boat trip, I got word that one of the tougher to find Sandpipers (Buff-breasted) was at the Turf field where an American Golden-plover was spotted early in the day... so I didn't get out of the car and just went. There were two of them and I got some good long looks. No Plover today.

This is one of my favorites - Buff-breasted Sandpiper - there were two of them!

I went back Thursday morning and saw it. While I was watching the Plover, a weird contraption -- kind of a surfing kite with a motor and it was LOUD. Didn't bother the bird through. The plover photos are just eh -- challenging light this morning.

Dawn Breaks at Heaton Orchard Turf Fields

The American Golden-plover has it's moment

Suddenly there is a very loud mechanical noise in the sky and this guy flies over the field. Weird, but it didn't seem to bother the birds.

American Golden-plover

Friday was rainy and not even worth posting about – very slow. I did get a lot done at home!


Saturday I had a nice visit at Quonnie -- lots of avian company at the point.

There was fog & Double-crested Cormorants

Snow Egrets & Laughing Gulls

Snowy Egret

Great Egret

Bathing Semipalmated Plover

Lesser Yellowlegs

Black-bellied Plover

Ruddy Turnstone

Black-bellied Plover

Note the black armpits -- the best way to tell a Black-bellied Plover from an American Golden-plover.

Juvi Piping Plover

Herring Gull playing ball

American Robin

Gray Catbird

Green Heron

Sunday - what a way to end the week. First at Quonnie during my favorite tidal level -- well almost, it was about 45 minutes until high tide, so birds were already gathered on the point. Then a Whimbrel started flying around and finally landed nearby. Lots of other usuals came to visit as did Maria at toward the end of my session. Then off to the turf fields -- still looking for a RI Baird's Sandpiper, but would like to get another look at an American Golden-plover, I had almost decided to go home after limited birds at Shickasheen and Heaton Orchard (very dead), but I hadn't been to the Switch Road Turf fields in a few months, so I gave it a go -- and was rewarded with THREE beautiful Buff-breasted Sandpipers.

Whimbrel

Note the Flexible Bill tip!

Willet

Western Sandpiper

Least Sandpiper