Quonnie Finally

Monday was a travel day for me, up to New York's Dutchess County to visit Relatives & Friends in from out of state. I did get a little birding in along the way -- tried to get some Chimney Swift photos, but they are tough under the best of circumstances. My circumstances were compromised by more power lines than I have ever seen in one place. I think they might be running a Cray down there.

Wappingers Creek, New Hamburg, NY

Great Blue Heron

Market Street, Wappinger Falls, NY

Chimney Swift

Immature Bald Eagle

I spent Tuesday at Quonnie amongst the Horseshoe Crabs & Birds. A lovely albeit chilly morning

Quonnie Breachway

Great Egret

Green Heron

Mating Horseshoe Crabs

A lone Male

Bonaparte's Gull I saw last week at Misquamicut -- he is missing a foot. The best speculation I have heard is a Bluefish bit it off. The bird seems to be getting by ok -- hope he keeps the other foot away from the Bluefish...

Wednesday started off very early looking for the Canada Warbler and the Acadian Flycatcher in Northern Rhode Island. I was at Quonnie by 7:40 but the best part of the day was the Black-necked Stilt found on a local Farm Pond. Spent a little time after at Succotash with a very pretty Green Heron!

Quonnie Breachway

Least Sandpiper

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Dunlin & Semipalmated Sandpiper

Matunuck Farm Pond

Black-necked Stilt

Succotash

Green Heron

Misquamicut State Beach

Laughing Gull

Thursday I started in Foster looking for a Cerulean Warbler that was seen on Wednesday - no luck but a lovely song-filled morning...

Ponagansett Road

Red Squirrel

Eastern Towhee

Eastern Chipmunk

Yellow Warbler

In the evening I took advantage of the Full Flower Moon when the Horseshoe Crabs are the most active. Of course there were birds too.

Quonnie Breachway

Horseshoe Crabs

White-rumped Sandpiper

Osprey

Tree Swallow

White-rumped Sandpiper

Least Tern

Friday was a lovely morning - with lots of birds at Quonnie -- so much fun! An unusual looking Tern - turned out to be a Common Tern in usual plumage. Lots of Piping Plover!

Quonnie Breachway

Surf Scoter

American Oystercatcher

Unusual Common Tern

Common Tern

Piping Plover -- this is a tagged bird I know well

Another Piping Plover

White-rumped Sandpiper

Black-bellied Plover

Horseshoe Crab

Flock of Peeps

Least Sandpiper

Willow Flycatcher

It's Memorial Day Weekend so I hit Quonnie very early. Was out of there by 6:50am when it was starting to heat up. Then I went to chase a Flycatcher that had been heard on Friday late afternoon. I didn't find that one, but I found it's twin.

Quonnie Breachway

Ruddy Turnstone

Piping Plover

Least Terns courting

Short-billed Dowitcher

Juvenile Mute Swans

Beavertail State Park

Willow Flycatcher

Sunday I decided to take a walk, well several walks. I started at Francis Carter to finally see the Grasshopper Sparrow -- it was far away, but I managed to see and hear it. It was much closer last year. Oh I should mention it was so humid we are talking air you can wear. I was a ball of perspiration by the end. Then off to the Great Swamp to check on an Osprey nest. Again I decided to check out a spot where the Alder Flycatcher (mentioned above) was heard yesterday. It is fairly near my home and a short easy walk, that for some reason I haven't done in probably two years. It is lovely habitat and well worth visiting despite the lack of an Alder Flycatcher.

Francis Carter Preserve

Eastern Kingbird

Cedar Waxwing in the Cedar!

Inidigo Bunting

Tree Swallow

Crandall Preserve

Canada Goose

Great Blue Heron

Migration is winding down and I'm spending more time at Quonnie with a Bird Walk and a Brid Talk on the schedule for this week and a Bird Sit & a Bird Walk scheduled for next week. Busy Bird times even with Migration winding down.