Days, weeks & months like this make me wonder what is up with Global Warming. I know its true but in the throes of February, it seems fabricated. Even in the extreme cold this morning, there were birds. I took a drive around inland Charlestown - Buckeye Brook Rd, Francis Carter Preserve, and Watch Hill.
Buckeye Brook Road
Downy Woodpecker
King's Factory Road
Red-shouldered Hawk
Watch Hill Lighthouse
Brant
Oceanview Highway
Hermit Thrush (acting not so Hermity)
Tuesday dawned clear and COLD! I braved it to head up to my "Ponaganset" Route. Started in the parking lot at the Parker Audubon Preserve, then moved on to Rockland Cemetery where both Pine Warblers & a Red Crossbill were spotted yesterday. It is one of my favorite spring haunts, but I get up there less in winter. I normally just do one pass around the place, but since I saw neither the Pine Warbler or the Crossbill on the first pass -- I turned about to do it the other way. I was rewarded shortly thereafter with a flight call and two birds -- 1 Male & 1 Female flew across the Cemetery and into the woods. Luckily I was already looking through my bins and was able to get on them well enough to see the Female's bill - very distinctive!
Went on to Ponaganset & Ram's Tail Roads for mostly the usual suspects, but no Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers which I almost always get there this time of year.
Westerly Airport
Red-tailed Hawk
Rockland Cemetery
Blue Jay
American Robin
Stayed fairly local on Wednesday -- most of the photos were are Charlestown Breachway.
Common Eider
Mute Swan
Horned Grebe
Thursday I stalked the Road to the Great Swamp early then hit some spots in Narragansett. Cold, COLD, COLD!
Great Swamp
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Galilee Bird Sanctuary
European Starling
Great Egret
Wesquage Pond
Canada Goose
Misquamicut State Beach
Horned Lark
On Friday went to Jamestown in search of the Thick-billed Murre that was spotted there yesterday, but no luck... just a few pictures worth sharing.
Beavertail State Park
Herring Gull
Harlequin Ducks
Female Black Scoter
Fort Getty
Brant
Common Goldeneye
On Saturday just a quick visit to Watch Hill Lighthouse because I thought a Rare Bird Alert said "100 Dovekies" there. It was actually 1 Dovekie about 100 yards from shore. It was in a position that was impossible for me to see without walking out on the rocks -- Not me. Fortunately I've already seen a Dovekie this year. Was happy Sue got to see it.
Later on Saturday did a talk for the Ocean State Bird Club at the Warwick Library about my trip to South Africa. Although we had to switch rooms due to Technical difficulties and my video's wouldn't play. It went well and Dave & Helen Mako, who were on the trip with me, came -- so we all got to relive it through the talk.
Me working through the Technical difficulties with a smile on my face
The Cover page
The Audience (my sister is the only one in the front row)
Dave, Me & Helen.
Not at all warm on Sunday -- really frigid when I got out to use my scope. Brrrrrrrrrrrr! Lovely morning nonetheless. Tons of Greater Yellowlegs at Succotash and my First of Year at Card's Pond. Got a little better look/shot of the Canvasbacks at Worden's Pond & discovered an immature White-crowned Sparrow at the South Kingstown Town Beach when I reviewed my photos -- on-site I thought it was an American Tree Sparrow -- but no bi-colored bill. That is a new year bird for me. Ended up at Quonnie.
Succotash Marsh
Greater Yellowlegs
Worden's Pond
Canvasback, Ruddy Duck & Greater Scaup
Common Merganser
Canvasback
Greater Scaup
Hooded Merganser
Ocean Mist
Bonaparte's Gull
Long-tailed Duck
Card's Pond
Greater Yellowlegs
Matunuck Schoolhouse Road
Red-tailed Hawk
South Kingstown Town Beach
Red-winged Blackbird
White-throated Sparrow
Immature White-crowned Sparrow
Quonnie Breachway
Common Loon with Breakfast
Northern Harrier
When I arrived home I had First of Year Eastern Bluebirds at my feeder, and I took the occasion to review the other photos (old) and found a few worth sharing.
The View Feeders
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Mockingbird on a Hummingbird feeder
Downy Woodpecker drinking from a Hummingbird feeder
That's the week -- supposed to rain a bunch next week. Hopefully they are wrong... again!
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