Maybe resting for the migratory days ahead?

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A Red-breasted Merganser feeds close to shore and gradually swims away. I lay down on a rock and wait. The merganser turns around, busily with his head in the water and makes his way to me. He got fairly close when he picked his head up, noticed me and swam further out.

I’m getting closer to these guys.

A visit to Gooseberry Island for shorebirds and maybe Tree Swallows staging for migration. There were a few swallows but not the large numbers I was hoping for. However, I was being a little optimistic for migrating swallows because it is still early. They migrate here by the thousands. 2007 was a banner year, 2008 was ok and 2009, well, we’ll see.

I noticed a Common Yellow-throat feeding a fledgling Cowbird. I could not wonder if the warbler had any second thoughts on feeding this large juvenile cowbird. Reminds me of the cartoon character Baby Huey (who was a large duck in diapers).

Walking the path to the south end of the island numerous Song Sparrows, American Goldfinches and Gray Catbirds chatted. The usual gull suspects and a large number of Great Black-backed Gull flew overhead. One  Great Black-backed Gull I watched glide by dropped a “bomb” that missed me. Good thing I was watching him  – whew!

Reaching my destination, on a mound of seaweed I noticed a sleeping Willet. Looking directly at the mound all I could see was the sleeping eyes. Despite that, it heard me approached and quickly rose it its feet and started to stretch. I stopped and sat down. The Willet promptly went back to laying down and resting. Other sandpipers noticed the relaxed Willet and flew just behind the seaweed mound, whereby I could not get an unobstructed view. Ever now and then the Sanderling’s would pop up their heads, monitoring my movements.

Later I watched the nervous sandpipers and plovers. Mixed within the various flocks included: Semipalmated Plovers, Willet, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstone.

Then I noticed mixed in a flock of Common Eiders, a lone black duck. Later it swam closer to shore to feed. To my surprise it was a Surf Scoter.  This Surf Scoter is a first sighting for me.

Other birds: the ever present Double-crested Cormorant resting on the rocks. Red-winged Blackbird mixed in with some sandpipers. Insects flew around the pile of seaweeds as seen in this photo of a Semipalmated Sandpiper.

A lone Common Tern flew by. No where near the numbers in just a few shorts days ago. High in the sky an Osprey hovered over the water and later harrassed by Red-winged Black birds.

Other photo highlights with captions (Click on any thumbnail image. Then use keyboard arrow keys for next and previous.)

When I did this quick tour of Horseneck Beach Reservation area a few days ago the weather was overcast and misty with some wind. Today, I was hoping to go and check on the Piping Plovers at Gooseberry Island but the weather turned rainy which postponed my outing.

Bird Sightings: Barn Swallow, Mute Swans with young ones, Red-winged Blackbirds, American Crows, Yellow Warbler, Grackles, Common Eiders, the usual gull suspects, Gray Catbird, Least Tern,  Goldfinch, Mallard, Great Egret and a Willet. Also an unknown small raptor being chased by grackles and terns.

The highlight was the raptor, cygnets riding on the back of the parent swan and Great black-back Gulls eating a large fish. There were about a half dozen or so of these fish washed up on shore. I have no idea what caused this.

An interesting side note. When having a short conversation with a person at Gooseberry Island it was discovered they left a comment on my blog about the Bald Eagle in the area. Sometimes its a small world.

Location: Gooseberry Island part of  Horseneck State Reservation

A mild winter morning, sunny skies with a stiff breeze from the southwest causing a slight chop to the waves.

On windy days like this, I usually start on the dirt road walking to the towers. Along the way, a small group of Juncos scurried from branch to branch as if showing me the way. They stopped for only a short time before flying away. Reaching the towers I emerge on the west side continuing to the southern tip of the island. No bird sightings yet.

I reach the east side which is calmer and the bird activity begin to emerge. A large flock of gulls on the rocks and a mixed group of sandpipers: Sanderlings, Dunlin, Purple, a lone Ruddy Turnstone and a Black-bellied Plover.

In the extreme distance: Buffleheads, a Common Loon and Goldeneyes. However these were too far to take any meaningful photos other than identification.

My first sightings included a Purple Sandpiper and my prize was the Black-bellied Plover.

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I took the dog for a walk with me along the beach. During the walk I noticed various discarded items on the shoreline.

These are some of the items found.

Each time I go to Gooseberry Island I never know what I may find. This day was no exception.

I began my walk on the west side of the island. A couple of Double-crested Cormorants were on the rocks but no other birds. Not even a sandpiper! It was quiet but I would hear gull cries every once in awhile on the east side.

Upon reaching the east side, the gulls were busily following the stripers who in turn were chasing minnows. A pair of fisherman were casting and succeeding in catching a few fish.

There was a mixture of gulls, Laughing Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls and a few Great Black-backed Gulls. Most of them were Laughing Gulls.

The gulls would rest on the exposed rocks and once the fish broke the waters surface, the gulls would quickly fly to the area. This was followed by the cormorants who got into the act and literally dove into the boiling water of feeding fish. What followed was pure pandemonium and fun to watch.

As I scanned the water I saw what appeared to be a basketball floating in the water. I spied through the camera lens and snapped a quick photo. To my surprise it was a seal who apparently joined in the feeding frenzy. As quickly as the seal appeared it disappeared. It was the first time I ever saw a seal at Gooseberry.

On the walk back I did notice a bunch of Dark-eyed Juncos.

Gooseberry…you never know what is in store.