New England Coastal BIrds

New England Coastal BIrds

Friday, October 25, 2013

September and October Highlights 1- "Another Golden Plover" -

                           September and October Birding Diary Highlights! :

     September 16,- It was 7:15 am and I stopped for a coffee to go in "town" at the Dunkin Donuts (yes that's right- Killingworth has a Dunkin Donuts). On my way down to Hammonasset, I had just pulled into the parking lot and heard that familiar deep croaking call; it was one of Killingworth's Ravens. The Ravens have been regular residents in Killingworth since showing up around fifteen years ago. It started with one pair that set up a homestead behind our house, and then slowly grew to multiple numbers. Now a day doesn't go by when you don't hear or see a single or several Ravens around our house or in town. This Raven landed on the utility pole>




     It flew across the street and landed on the wires.....


     .....and off it went.>




      At Meigs Point in Hammonasset, the first Scoter (a juvenile drake Surf) swam by the jetty>


      Two flocks of Greater Yellowlegs flew into the small marsh at the beginning of the Moraine Trail.....


     .....where they joined a small group of Cattle and Great Egrets and a handful of these immature Little Blue Herons>




     Snowy Egret>



     Great Egrets and Black Ducks>


     One of the few remaining Ospreys in the area and in the Park>






       Excellent balance>





     Great Egret>



     I looked up just in time to see the first Common Loon of the fall season. This one was migrating; it came from the north over the Park and continued flying southwest over the Sound until it vanished into the overcast distance>


    Hammonasset's resident- the Tri-colored x Little Blue hybrid Heron in the marsh by the Meigs circle>



     While I was watching the Heron, this Common Yellowthroat upstaged the Heron for a moment or two!>






   


     I wish I could carve a Heron decoy in each and every preening pose I see. Herons are the masters of animated postures that project beautifully into sculpture!>








     September 17- Hammonassett, Meigs Point- The sun returned this morning offering a beautifully clear sky. The only Shorebirds I saw were three Spotted Sandpipers on the Meigs Point jetty>








    On Willard's Island a good morning flight of Passerines were hopping through the trees including this Red-eyed Vireo>


     Prairie Warbler>




      Palm Warbler>


     Way off in the distance, a female Kestrel circles the marsh.....


     .....and lands on a high perch>


     The second Golden Plover in a week. This transitional adult started the morning at the Nature Center parking lot, but eventually ended up on the field near the west beach parking lot where it had joined a flock of Kildeer>


      Wing stretch>






       Stunning bird!>


       This Plover was very actively feeding>






      Good rear view showing the typical Plover "square-head" look>


     The Plover started looking up into the sky overhead.......


    .....and suddenly became very agitated and nervous!>


     Then it started slowly sinking into a sitting position.....



     ......and began settling into the grass.>



     Once in the sitting pose, the Plover began to flatten out its shape and silhouette.....

 
     .....to the point of almost disappearing and blending perfectly into the grass. I knew that there had to be a winged predator somewhere over head. Looking up revealed what had the Plover worried.......


      .....a circling Peregrine!>








      It is amazing how this bird disappeared into the grass. Even the white supracilliary stripe blended beautifully appearing as a highlighted blade of dead grass!>


     With the Peregrine and the danger gone...the Plover cautiously stands up again.....


     .....and starts feeding again.>



      Success! A small grasshopper>



     Time to wash down the grasshopper!>






     Back to the field to hunt more grasshoppers, crickets and beetles>


      Preening Kildeer>








                       September and October Highlights 2 continues......Long-billed Dowitcher-
                                  Click on "Older Posts" below right-