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