summer birding highlights

The summer was full of birds.  The warm summer months of July and August brought a huge variety of shore birds, especially in August when the shore bird migration starts back down south.  July was nothing to write home about, but once August began the birds were almost falling from the sky.  Luckily, none were injured.

In the second week of August, the local bird club traveled to Fairhaven, Mass, along the coast to look for shorebirds.  To our benefit it was low tide in the morning.  Low tide is the perfect time to look for shorebirds.  As the tide goes out, it uncovers mudflats and - more importantly - an array of creatures that shorebirds like to eat.

The day was filled with a variety of shorebirds, which included the sighting of over 40 Semipalmated Plovers.  Along with the Semipalmated Plovers were two Black-bellied Plovers, Spotted Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs, Willets, Ruddy Turnstones, Sanderlings, Least Sandpiper, and a Dowitcher.

Also during the morning we saw a Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Green Heron, and a rare bird for the area: a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron.

With the many shorebirds, rare sightings, and life birds, it was a great morning for birding.

Bird of the week: Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Life birds: Saltmarsh Sparrow, Spotted Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plover, and a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron