Morning Birding South Beach, Chatham

Howdee all,

Jeff and I managed to squeeze in a few hours of Early morning birding while here at the cape. We went to Lighthouse beach hung a left past the pond and went to the mudflats on the bay side.

Its been pretty foggy most mornings.

And this morning was no exception..Black-backed Gulls in the fog at first pond.

Noticed many small horseshow crabs in the mud flats..

I am curious as to why there were so many dead young horseshoe crabs.

The fog starting to break. Short-billed Dowitchers below…(I think)..still learning shorebirds..maybe forever learning shorebirds..

check out the video…to get a sense of what this area is like.

I loved how the little lines come out from the back of each bird..

The bird on the right is getting better reception…more bars! :)

Still beautiful despite the morning fog..this is the mud flat area we birded.

  A beautiful Green Bouquet ..I imagine this being used in a mermaid wedding.

Chatham light…… thru the mudflats and fog.

Colorful Crab..a dinner for seabirds.

 

What we believe to be a White-winged Scoter in the bay area..Anyone care to confirm this?  If this is the scooter..why is it in the bay, just floating around?

This would be a life bird for Jeff and I. So a yea or neigh would be appreciated.

We were pleasantly surprised to see a pair of Horned larks frolicking about in the

seaweed. It was a quick 2 and a half hours of birding…Short and Sweet!

Birds seen,

Osprey, Ringed-billed,Herring, Greater black-backed, and laughing Gulls.

Least and Common Terns, Black-bellied, piping ,semi-palmated Plovers,

Least, Semi-palmated, Pectoral, Sandpipers  Sanderlings, Short-billed Dowitchers, Ruddy turnstones, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Horned lark,White winged scoter? Double-crested Cormorant, American Oystercatcher, Black skimmer, Willet, Barn swallow,Song sparrow.

We have left the cape and are now headed to Ct. for a few days before going west.

We are excited…but it is always bittersweet…having to leave our Wonderful Family behind.