Birdwalk Highlights for 8/9: Tour de Brunswick.

We used the incoming tide to our advantage to spend most of our time together today at Wharton Point. With the water slowly pushing birds closer, we hoped for close-up shorebirds in better light, but unfortunately the masses stayed distant and in the glare today. We did have some great looks at BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, with several of the 110 present today in perfect light. We saw some other shorebirds fairly well, but mostly we practiced birding by silhouette, using shape and size to guide our identification. In all, our tallies were about 100 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 22 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 10 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 10 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, and 6 LESSER YELLOWLEGS.

Two different BALD EAGLES flew by, which unfortunately flushed the shorebirds in the wrong direction, while 2 OSPREYS fished further out. 60+ DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, 50 COMMON EIDER, 16 SNOWY EGRETS, and at least 10 COMMON TERNS were also present. A YELLOW WARBLER called overhead and at least 4 TREE SWALLOWS were migrating south. Two LAUGHING GULLS joined the HERRING and GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS on what was left of the mudflat.

Over at Simpson's Point, we soon found a summertime rarity in 3 LONG-TAILED DUCKS! I found two here last week, and apparently they added a friend. It's quite unusual to observe Long-tailed Ducks while wearing a t-shirt! 3 RUDDY TURNSTONES settling to roost were uncommon, but a little more expected. We added to our tallies with 2 more Bald Eagles, 2 more Ospreys, 6 more Snowy Egrets, 1 more Laughing Gull, another 20 Double-crested Cormants, 100 more Common Eider, and at least 18 more Common Terns.

Our final stop was to check overturned field at Crystal Spring Farm, which yielded a single AMERICAN KESTREL and 13 KILLDEER.