randoms

A few Red-breasted Nuthatches and juvie Red-tail.

Shorebird Banding Plymouth Beach

I went banding today with Drew from Mass Wildlife and some of the Manomet gang at Plymouth Beach. Their goal was to finish putting Nano tags on Semipalmated Sandpipers, they managed to tag 30 birds over 2 nights. The hope is that the tags will transmit the data tracking the movements of the birds for the duration that the tags stay attached, roughly a month or so. We also banded a number of Least Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers. Great time, very happy to be invited.

                                                    Nice welcoming sign for beach goers

                                                             Sunset at Plymouth Beach

                                           Walking out to the banding location

 Since the birds can see the mist nets during the day, banding had to take place after dark

                                                                    Semi Plover

                                          Least Sandpiper not enjoying the headlamp

                                                         Semi Plover glaring at me

                                                  Drew and Evan attaching the Nano tags

                                                            View of the Nano Tag

Misty Morning

A hot misty morning at Belle Isle. Made for interesting photos, lots of Egrets about.

Green Heron

Caught this fella out in the open - Lewis Lake, Winthrop MA.

                                                 Least Sandpiper - The Key Belle Isle

Updates

Sorry its been a while, my Adobe subscription lapsed. But back in business !

Lots of great shorebirds migrating through both Belle Isle and Plum Island.

                                                              American Avocet

                    Red-breasted Nuthatch , one of 3 that has been hanging out for the past + week.

American Lotus garden, planted thousands of years ago by Native Americans for harvest.

Vesper Sarrow

A quick trip up to the Kennebunk Plains or the Blueberry Barrens. The habitat management has been slacking there and the grassland habitat is slipping into successional scrub. We did get great looks at Vesper Sparrow and Field Sparrow. We also got quick looks at Eastern Meadow Lark and Upland Sandpiper.  Downside was no Grasshopper Sparrow \ upside delicious Blueberries everywhere.

                                                                      Vesper Sparrow

Virginia Rails - Belle Isle

This morning I came across a few juvenile Virginia Rails hanging out by the first fresh water pool at Belle Isle. The juveniles were quite hilarious, chasing flies and checking me out. I may have been the first person these guys got a look at, they were more inquisitive than scared, not a common trait with Rails.  The Virginia Rail is a very secretive what might be called a waterbird of sorts, in the Family Rallidae. Rails inhabit marshes and freshwater ponds with abutting reeded areas for breeding. With Laterally compressed bodies Rail can move through the thick marsh vegetation, making this nearly impenetrable habitat a safe breeding location. Short of hearing the Rail's "clicky" call at dawn or dusk, Rails are a seldom seen species of the marsh.