Wednesday Morning Birding Report, September 26, 2018

When we gathered for Wednesday Morning Birding this week, Dave Williams and I were a little worried. Outings for the past week had turned up precious few feathered creatures. When we made the usual trek up to the dike at Hellcat, we found many distant ducks and a handful of nearby yellowlegs. Then things turned around when a flock of 24 birds suddenly landed near us in North Pool. Most were Greater Yellowlegs, but there were two Stilt Sandpipers, with two dowitchers. Tom Wetmore was there, explaining why he thought they were Long-billed Dowitchers. We admired the distribution of buffy edgings of the feathers on the birds’ backs, and we stared at the degree to which the eye was either just above the line of the gape in the bill or well above that line, when the birds flew and emitted the diagnostic “keek!” of Long-billed Dowitchers. They did that several times more—very satisfying! The two Stilt Sandpipers busied themselves close by, and a Peregrine Falcon, a Cooper’s Hawk, and a Northern Harrier all put on good shows.

Stilt Sandpipers and Long-billed Dowitchers – John Linn

Greater Yellowlegs and Long-billed Dowitchers – Bob Minton

Greater Yellowlegs – John Linn

Buoyed by this success, we tried for sea ducks at the bits of Emerson Rocks that were left exposed, but found almost nothing but gulls. Four birds that looked like Black Scoters flew by fast and well out beyond the rocks. When Mike Densmore sent us a photo I thought I would use here, I realized that they were young and female Surf Scoters, not Black Scoters, because of the shape of the white mark at the base of their bills and the shape of their bills. Some of us spied distant Northern Gannets over the sea, and one early Common Eider appeared in the surf over the rocks.

Surf Scoters – Mike Densmore

With not too much time left, we went to check Stage Island, where egrets and herons have been roosting and foraging lately. We found fewer waders than last week, but enjoyed the smattering that was still around, and pushed on through the increasing cloud of mosquitoes to the overlook on the pool.

Great Egret – Barbara Silver

Belted Kingfisher – Mike Densmore

Along with numerous geese and ducks, we discovered a surprisingly active crowd of shorebirds, dominated by the first big flock of Dunlin we’ve seen this year. Late-migrating Semiplamated sandpipers were there, but we found no plovers of any species. While we found a couple of what we presumed were Short-billed Dowitchers, along with one more Stilt Sandpiper, these shorebirds were a bit far out. Trying for a more uncommon anomaly was not advised with our time up and the blood-suckers dragging us down. It is a bit sad to be reading of the many passerine migrants flooding down the Connecticut river Valley when the passerines are so quiet here on the coast, but we can always hope for a northwest flow that could change that for next week!

Great Egrets – Bob Minton

Our List:
Canada Goose (48) – Stage Island Pool (SIP); ~40, and some flyovers.
American Black Duck – common.
Mallard – common.
Green-winged Teal – common.
Common Eider (1) – Emerson Rocks.
Surf Scoter (4) – Flying north at Emerson Rocks.
Northern Gannet (4) – Far out at sea, from parking lot #7 (seven) beach.
Double-crested Cormorant (15) – various.
Great Blue Heron (3) – Stage Island 2, North Pool 1.
Great Egret (~35) – various.
Turkey Vulture (12) – various.
Osprey (1) – South Marsh.
Northern Harrier (2) – South Marsh , Bill Forward Pool (BFP).
Cooper’s Hawk (1) – BFP.
Stilt Sandpiper (2) – North Pool from Hellcat Dike.
Sanderling (15) – seven beach.
Dunlin (~150) – SIP.
Semipalmated Sandpiper (~20) – SIP.
Short-billed Dowitcher (2) – SIP.
Long-billed Dowitcher (2) North Pool from Hellcat Dike (thanks Tom Wetmore!).
Greater Yellowlegs (32) – North Pool from Hellcat Dike; 22, various.
Bonaparte’s Gull (~10) – Off Water St., from Joppa Flats EC.
Ring-billed Gull (~30 + 1) – Off Water St., from Joppa Flats EC.; ~30, seven beach; 1.
Herring Gull – common.
Great Black-backed Gull (2) – seven beach.
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Peregrine Falcon (1) – Hellcat Dike.
Blue Jay (1) – Stage Island.
American Crow (1) – Over Pines.
Tree Swallow (2) – Wardens.
Black-capped Chickadee (2) – roadside.
American Robin (1) – Pines.
Gray Catbird (2) – roadside.
Northern Mockingbird (6) – parking lot #1; 4, seven; 2.
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing (20+) – various.
Eastern Towhee (4) – various.
Savannah Sparrow (4) – Warden’s.
Song Sparrow (5) – various.
American Goldfinch (1) Stage Island.
House Finch (1) – seven.

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