Semipalmated Sandpipers

 

Beaver Family

Just to mix things up a bit, something other than a bird.

 

Red Phalarope

 This species is a first for me. While I have seen the other two Phalarope species several times this bird had eluded me. There might have been an occasion or two where I saw this bird on a pelagic trip but I had never definitively identified it. I was photographing the shorebirds in the previous two posts when I noticed a bird head into the water. At first I thought that was kind of odd until I realized what it was. Both the Red and the Red-necked Phalaropes spend much of their time in the ocean, anybody who has done one of the many whale watching tours should be familiar with them. This one is in Fall plumage, someday maybe I'll get to see one in full breeding attire. 

Sanderlings

 

Red Knot

 

Dickcissel - August 22, West Head

 

Alder Flycatcher

 An unusual place to find an Alder Flycatcher, on the rocks at the end of West Head. I'm mostly guessing at the species here, the small flycatchers can be difficult to identify without hearing their calls. During migration they are mostly silent and sometimes they can show up in unusual places. As their name suggests they are mostly found in thickets, only venturing out to take insects on the wing and then returning to cover.

Gannets at Sunset

No explanation needed here. The Gannets were feeding close to shore and it happened to be a beautiful sunset on this evening.

 

Migrating Gannets

Every year in the Spring and Fall you can see many Gannets migrating past our coast. In the Fall many of the birds are juveniles and I have rarely seen any come to shore like the juvenile pictured here. If the fishing is good you will often see them diving - hitting the water like an arrow and often bringing up lots of spray.  

 

Northern Harrier

 

Assorted Shorebirds

Sanderling with worm. They always run when they find these to avoid having it stolen by another bird.

Short-billed Dowitcher running past me.

Black-bellied Plover in the seaweed.

Willet stretching. Clipped the wing tips.

 

Juvenile Warblers - Common Yellowthroat and Magnolia Warbler

 

Hummingbirds in Flight

 

Semipalmated Plover

 

Flocks of Whimbrel