Sunday, September 11, 2016

Plumb Beach 9.9.16

     Went to Plumb Beach after work on Friday. Very high heat for September and very humid conditions. I learned I need to get there earlier in the day to see the good stuff. In the afternoon it's just the usual, sanderlings, gulls, and naked guy (I always see this freakin' naked guy there every time, and he doesn't seem to give a you-know-what).
     Anyway, enjoy (don't worry, there are no naked guy pictures!)...
Two tufts of grass, COVERED in brown-headed cowbirds-- I got eBird flagged for underreporting- at least 30 birds present, probably a tad bit more, on the ground around and perched upon these grasses feeding on their plentiful seeds. It was a mix group of adults and immature birds which amazes me in wondering how the immature, which are raised by other species of birds know to flock with the adults of their species. They are nest parasites- laying their eggs in other birds' nests, fooling those birds into rearing their young.
A sanderling explores among the fragments of shells and seaweed.
A ring-billed gull seems to hang among the smaller laughing gulls while they remain in town, to feel less like the smaller of the NY gull species. Enjoy it while you can, bud, these laughing gulls will soon be heading south.
And no matter what the season, the greater black-backed gulls are always the biggest.
Herring gulls sit comfortable as a nice mid-size gull, large enough to push their weight around among the other species.
I felt like I did not see as many of these this year, semipalmated plover. 
Back-lit great blue heron on the tidal marsh just on the other side of the beach at Plumb.
The coloration of the plumage and bill on this bird suggest juvenile. Adults have a white crown and do not have a two-toned bill.

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