Shorebirds at Goose Rocks Beach
July 22, 2007 · Print This Article
Fall migration is underway as the shorebird numbers continue to rise at area beaches, marshes and mud flats.
Goose Rocks Beach is no exception. My wife and I spent several hours at the beach Saturday morning, and Sunday morning, Bob Malbon and I sat on the rocks and filled several compact flash cards while photographing the shorebird activity.
Species recorded at GRB:
- Piping Plovers
- Least Terns
- Common Terns
- Roseate Tern
- Great Egrets
- Snowy Egrets
- Great Blue Herons
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Semipalmated Plovers
- Semipalmated Sandpipers
- White Rumped Sandpipers
- Eastern Willets
- Spotted Sandpipers
- Short-Billed Dowitchers
- Long-Billed Dowitchers
- Double-Crested Cormorants
- Common Eiders
- Stilt Sandpiper
- Glossy Ibis
- Least Sandpiper
- Barn Swallows
- Cliff Swallows
- Tree Swallows
Not every species listed was photographed. We did, however, gets photos of most of them. Watching the behavior was very rewarding. Everything from adults feeding the young, to fights breaking out over a morsel of food, or territorial issues.
As the tide fell, the mud flats became the focus point. Hundreds of “peeps” were feeding, many were airborne, and others wading in the shallow waters. Terns hovered and then dove into the water, taking with them a small fish to satisfy their hunger. Snowy and Great Egrets could be heard squabbling just over the dune from where we sat. An adult Short-Billed Dowitcher brought five of its young to the mud flats to feed. It was by far one of the best birding days so far this summer!
Enjoy the photos that I have included below, and as always, comments and criticisms are always welcomed.
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For those of you looking for the “Maine Birds” series, it will now begin the week of July 23rd, 2007. I was too busy birding this weekend to begin as promised, but it will be here this week.
Happy birding!
Technorati Tags: shorebird, Goose Rocks Beach, photos, birding, Maine Birds
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John, What a day! You captured some great moments - love the Swallow feeding the fledgling. Bob
Bob;
It’s just beginning!
Thank you for your guidance in helping me become familiar with DSLR photography. It’s greatly appreciated!
John Briggs
I think your photos are excellent!-I’m still waiting for you to do some birding in some of the deep woods of maine-I’d be curious to read about that.
Larry;
I will be doing just that sometime this fall. We will be heading to Campobello Island, NB in October for vacation and work our way inland from there. Will end at the Moosehead Lake region.
Stay tuned!
John