Stratford Moorhen, shorebirds

I spent a few hours shorebirding in Milford and Stratford around high tide before a few showers rolled through. After the rain cleared, I walked out Sandy Pt in West Haven on the falling tide.

The best bird of the day was found by Charlie Barnard...a COMMON MOORHEN at the 'warehouse pool' in Stratford.


Common Moorhen (wonder where this bird tried to breed?)

Milford Point held a small flock of Semipalmated Sandpipers with a single WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER among them. A Diamondback Terrapin walked right in front of me on its way from the outer point to the marsh...a female after egg-laying?








Diamondback Terrapin

Highlights here:
GREATER SCAUP
Semipalmated Plover
6 Piping Plovers (2 ad, 4 juv)
11 Oystercatchesr (10 ad, 1 chick)
2 Spotted Sandpipers
24 Semipalmated Sandpipers
2 Least Sandpipers
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER
Short-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
4 Common Tern
3 Least Tern
2 Purple Martin
3 Bank Swallow


Greater Scaup. Worn bird summering here.


Short-billed Dowitcher (griseus)

Stratford Marina had 15 Greater Yellowlegs on the pilings.

The Access Road pool in Stratford had, as usual at this time of year, multiple Lesser Yellowlegs among others:
4 Wood Duck
Gadwall
2 Killdeer
11 Gr Yellowlegs
6 Lr Yellowlegs
3 Least Sandpipers
4 Short-billed Dowitcher
2 Boat-tailed Grackle

Sandy Point didn't have anything unexpected, but a count of 8 adult "Eastern" Willets indicates staging/migration of this species here. A lone juvenile Willet was likely hatched here, as an adult was actively defending it in the marsh.


Piping Plover...adult and fully-grown juv


juv "Eastern" Willet

Highlights:
2 Semipalmated Plovers
11 Piping Plover (4 ad, 7 juv)
4 Oystercatchers
2 Spotted Sandpipers
9 "Eastern" Willet (8 ad, 1 juv)
10 Semipalmated Sandpiper
4 Least Sandpipers
3 Common Tern
80 Least Tern (all adults)
Willow Flycatcher

12 shorebird species on the day.

- NB

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