New England Coastal BIrds

New England Coastal BIrds

Friday, August 31, 2012

Part 3- July/August Shorebirding Journal

Continued from Part 2......

 Part 3 July/August Shorebirding Journal-

August 16, Hammonasset- The morning started off with rain, but cleared a short time later. Great Egret-





      I was standing along the main road in the Park photographing the flocks of Least Sandpipers that were feeding in the shallow marsh. I looked up and spotted this Solitary Sandpiper flying by-






     Lesser Yellowlegs-



     Semi-palmated Sandpiper-





     Immature Little Blue Heron-





     This pair of Kingbirds put on a wonderful show. They seemed curious and stayed near by; maybe they liked getting their pictures taken?-



















     The Solitary Sandpiper was relocated by Jim Carr later that morning in the small puddles at the western end of the Park-












     Kildeer-






     August 17, Hammonasset- Blue-grey Gnatcatcher on the Moraine Trail-





     Coopers Hawk-





     Semi-palmated Plovers-






    

     Osprey-






     At the end of the Moraine Trail, Black-bellied Plover and a single Ruddy Turnstone-




     The Terns gathered in the usual place-






     The abstract form of Jellyfish painted the shoreline with color-








     I am quite fond of Least Sandpipers. You can just about always count on them to be there when most everything else is gone-










     Three Little Blue Herons-






     August 20, Hammonasset- Just as I started my walk at the beginning of the Moraine Trail, a Coopers Hawk flew by heading for the marsh on the west side of the pebble beach-




   

     Four Black Ducks found the quiet cove perfect for their morning preening-




     On the pebble beach, I noticed two more immature Coopers Hawks perched on drift debris under the watchful eye of a dozen Crows-











     The Crows tested the inexperience of the immature Hawks, and chased them around.......








     .....and then the Hawks turned the tables and chased the Crows. Looks like the Hawks are learning-















    Finally the Hawks had had enough!-




     A few Spotted Sandpipers "rock-hopped" along the Moraine Trail-









    The Bobolinks were more accomodating-










   This Coopers Hawk was standing on the edge of the field by the Bobolinks-











     August 21, Sandy Point, West Haven- Not many Shorebirds on the sand bar, other than a few peeps, and this Oystercatcher family-




     Unfortunately, the fledgling has a growth on its forehead-









      Approx. sixty-five Common Terns were roosting at the end of the sandbar-







    In the Tern gathering, there were two Roseate Terns (one on right)-




     The lagoon had a few small groups of Short-billed Dowitcher-











     August 23, Hammonasset- Along the Moraine Trail, Spotted Sandpipers-











     Hummingbirds were numerous-









     Swarms of small flies.......






     ......and of course, Willow Flycatchers-










     Check back soon for upcoming reports......Early September Shorebirding, Gloucester Whale and Pelagic Bird trip, Rhode Island overnight Canyon Pelagic, and Plymouth Whale and Seabird trip.

Keith Mueller    Killingworth