Friday, August 23, 2013

South beach birding

This past Monday Jeff and I joined a Wellfleet Audubon trip to South Beach led by Ellison Orcutt.

A short boat ride is the only way to access this area.

Just last year we were able to hike here from Lighthouse Beach.

A long six mile walk one way..

This year its much different..a few storms have made a cut about half way thru the long sandy peninsula..making it impossible to walk the distance.

South Beach_002

We scanned the area where we first arrived..

Lots of terns and peeps.

South Beach_003We walked south..

South Beach_010More peeps..

Mostly Semipalmated Plover

South Beach_011taking cover on an island of beach debris..

South Beach_012While searching thru this area of gulls, terns and shorebirds…

South Beach_033A birder spotted a gull that needed a closer look..

South Beach_047See the gull in the water middle of photo..

South Beach_014My 20x zoom couldn't reach it..

South Beach_015So Jeff tried digiscoping a few..

A bit blurry..

Life Bird for us!

Little Gull!

IMG_3750IMG_3755

More Plover..

 South Beach_034Wilson’s Phalarope

South Beach_043

It was a beautiful day..

A few clouds and a nice breeze blowing..

South Beach_050

South Beach_051We walked on..

Plovers..Hiding Piping Plovers

can you count them all?

South Beach_057A cropped version of the photo above..

see them now?

South Beach_056We walked further south..

Stopping to scan thru more terns and gulls..

We find Godwit and Whimbrel and other goodies..

South Beach_062Did I say it was a beautiful day?

Yeah..it was…

South Beach_059Commercial clammers..

South Beach_066Raking for clams..

South Beach_068The Loot..

South Beach_114Back to the birders..

Here they are..

South Beach_075The clouds are pointing to another special bird..

South Beach_076

Down here somewhere..and too far for my tiny lens..

Black Tern..

South Beach_078Long distance views..

Scopes are needed..

South Beach_090We walk from the bay to the Ocean side..

South Beach_091Looking for Pelagics..

South Beach_099Enjoying the scene..

South Beach_095The seals..

South Beach_096This boat is tagging sharks..

During the next month, they hope to capture 20 white sharks and attach technology that will make it possible for anyone to track the surface activity of each fish on the team’s publicly accessible website.

click on the link below to read more..

Surging shark activity puts Cape Cod in the jaws of a craze / Video

South Beach_100Oh lookie here..

More terns!

South Beach_103It was time to walk back to the bay side..

Four hours go by quickly when birding..

South Beach_108

South Beach_119We stop to scan thru more peeps..

South Beach_113Mostly Semipalmated Plover

South Beach_109We *tern* around and 

low and behold

Yep..more tern..

Ellisons count on the tern we saw

1 Black Tern
450 Roseate Tern
2400 Common Tern (Common)
1 Forster's Tern

South Beach_121We need to leave..

But not until we pish out a Saltmarsh Sparrow..

South Beach_128Then…Sadly

The boat awaits..

 

South Beach_135

Birds of the Day~

South Beach, Chatham, Barnstable, US-MA
Aug 19, 2013 9:33 AM - 1:33 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments:     <br />Submitted from BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.6.2
36 species (+2 other taxa)

American Black Duck  
Common Loon  
Double-crested Cormorant  
Great Egret  
Snowy Egret  
Osprey  
Black-bellied Plover  
Semipalmated Plover  
Piping Plover  
American Oystercatcher  
Willet  
Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs  
Whimbrel  
Whimbrel (American)  
Hudsonian Godwit  
Marbled Godwit  
Ruddy Turnstone  
Red Knot  
Sanderling  
Semipalmated Sandpiper  
Least Sandpiper  
White-rumped Sandpiper  
Short-billed Dowitcher (Atlantic)  
Wilson's Phalarope  
Little Gull  
Laughing Gull  
Ring-billed Gull  
Herring Gull  
Great Black-backed Gull  
Black Tern  
Roseate Tern  
Common Tern  
Forster's Tern  
Horned Lark  
Tree Swallow  
Barn Swallow  
Saltmarsh Sparrow  
Red-winged Blackbird  

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Wellfleet Audubon walk..

Last week Jeff and I took a drive to Wellfleet Audubon.

We wanted to sign up for a boat trip to South Beach.

We were able to nab two spaces on a newly formed trip to South Beach..the following Monday..(photos of that awesome trip soon)

Welfleet audubon_003We decided to take a short walk to the bay to see what shorebirds were around.

This fella below is not a shorebird. :)

Welfleet audubon_004We walked into one of the viewing platforms that overlooked the saltwater marsh..

We saw one Great Egret and scads of American Crows.

On our way off the platform I sighted these beautiful old screws and screw holes…

IMG_5383I took a photo with my camera…

Welfleet audubon_007and one with my ipod..

Which one do you like better?

The colors are certainly very different ..

IMG_1178We took the boardwalk over to the beach..

Welfleet audubon_008Many American Goldfinch frolicking about..

Welfleet audubon_009A quick scan showed very few shorebirds..

Welfleet audubon_012We spotted an someone from Audubon ..she said the numbers of birds were low today.

Welfleet audubon_014

We did see a small assortment of Plovers, sandpipers, gulls and terns.

Nothing close enough for my small lens..

IMG_5385We were on a tight schedule and had to be back in Chatham..

We plan to visit again and hope the numbers of birds have increased with migration.

Welfleet audubon_016

Jeff and I are currently back in Lexington without Homey..staying in a family members home. I have an annual Drs. visit today. We head back to the Cape soon!