Saturday, September 5, 2009

Stone Harbor Point: Red Knots and Gulls

The full moon chased Jupiter across the eastern sky this evening, making a lovely backdrop for 11 Red Knots, adults all, which briefly joined the Sanderlings on the beach at Stone Harbor Point at sunset. Zillions of gulls were roosting on the beach - well, 1500 or so, with an even mix of Herring and Great Black-backed dominating the bunch, along with 50 or so Ring-billed Gulls and a similar number of Laughing Gulls. There should have been something rarer in there. . . but there wasn't. About 100 Royal Terns and 50 Common Terns were at the tip of the point, as were 50 American Oystercatchers. Another birder reported a Piping Plover, but I did not find that, just a few Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers.

It was heartening to hear from Chuck and MJ Slugg et. al. that this evening's Hawks, Trails and Beach walk at the state park enjoyed over 20 American Kestrels.

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