Another terrific walk. We assembled promptly at 7:30 in the Rodman's Neck parking lot. Early on, Richard heard a Warbling Vireo, and in seconds we spotted it. A few feet down the road, he spotted a Red Breasted Nuthatch flitting around in the pines. I could see that Richard, an experienced and avid birder, was going to help us find some birds we would have ordinarily missed.
At Turtle Cove we saw the usual array of Egrets, a Great Blue Heron roosting in a tree and a Spotted Sandpiper. (There was also another shore bird we couldn't identify, my fault, since I was too lazy to carry my spotting scope.) A beautiful Belted Kingfisher flew out for a brief moment and we got a nice look as he dove.
This Ruby Throated Hummingbird was seen along Shore Road.
The path behind Turtle Cove, usually impassable in the summer because of poison ivy, was surprisingly mowed and widened. It gave us a chance to watch the egrets from another angle. We spotted a Semipalmated Sandpiper or two and followed the trail toward the woods. We were startled by a Green Heron as we walked into the woods. We eventually crossed Shore Road and saw a Ruby Throated Hummingbird as it landed on a distant branch. There were also a few woodpeckers, Downy and Red-bellied along with a Flicker. Later on I tried to pick up a hidden trail but it was too overgrown. We'll have to wait for the Fall.
We crossed through the woodlands, back to the path and to Rodman's Neck. It was a great three hours of birding.
Left to right: Richard, Christine, Patty, Peter, George and Jane.
Here we are again, except Jane, who took the picture so I could be in it.
Species Account
Tufted Titmouse
Warbling Vireo
Red breasted Nuthatch
American Goldfinch
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Great Egret
Spotted Sandpiper
Double Crested Cormorant
Mallard
Barn Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Red-winged Blackbird
Semipalmated Sandpiper
American Redstart
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-tailed Hawk
Osprey
Northern Flicker
American Robin
Mourning Dove
