[CT Birds] Western shore expedition 4/21/08

[Mntncougar at aol.com]

Well its an expedtion for me anyhow  -- 230 miles  plus
 
Westport, Grace Salmon Park, 9:30 am to  noon:
Got the RUFF along with a bushel of Greater and Lesser  Yellowlegs.
When i arrived the tide was quite low and all the birds were in  the last bay 
south of the big commuter lot, so I parked there and took  binoculars and 
scope around to the road.  Set up the scope and had the RUFF  within a minute or 
two.  Those ruffled back feathers are a dead giveaway  and a great field mark 
for that bird.  I wanted to get closer so I headed  out onto the little spit 
south of that bay.  As I was setting up the scope  the Yellowlegs all started 
peep-peep-peeping and flew away in a panic.   Looked up and sure enough a 
Broad-winged Hawk was circling low over the  bay.  A crow chased him, and the 
Yellowlegs returned almost  immediately.  However, within a minite or so 
peep-peep-peep again a big  commotion.  Looked up to see an Osprey this time, coming 
straight in.   Seemed kind of odd and the birds thought so too.  They scattered 
as he  landed but didn't fly far.   Without looking at them he picked up a  
couple of nice sticks  and grasses on the mud and flew away to his  nest.  
As the tide came in the birds moved to the next bay south,  north of the park 
parking lot and I moved over there.  In short order Phil  A. and his friends 
Charley and Steve showed up, as  did Christene ? (sorry).  The bird was still 
there when I left at  noon.  
Headed to Greenwich for the Harlequin Duck and found it  immediately when I 
parked south of the pond.  It was with the first group  of  Brant I looked at.  
Easy to find since it's half the size.   It was diving in the small surf 
within 25 feet of the shore. 
Headed home at that point (about 1:30) with 3 new lifers  (Lesser Yellowlegs 
was too) so the trip was well worth it.
 
Don Morgan
Coventry



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