The Common tern.*
You’ll see “courting” as these birds dive, fish and feed prospective mates. The breeding adult has a dark wedge of primary wing feathers (barely seen here) that differs from the Least tern, which also has a yellow beak, not orange.
*Ferry Slip, Fishers Island
From the Field, Field Note, Justine Kibbe, May 9, 2019
…pours forth…
From the Field, Field Note, Justine Kibbe, May 9, 2019
Blue jays and other members of the crow family are notorious egg-stealers. You’ll hear these bandits particularly within pines at the old naval station and piney woods approaching “Gray Gulls” along the Recreational Path.
Fort Wright, Fishers Island
From the Field, Field Note, Justine Kibbe, May 9, 2019
It took half an hour of scurrying around her South Beach “scrape” for this piping plover to finally settle down, because five killdeer were being pesty. There was a bit of territorial “drama”, before she returned to her—hopefully—clutch of eggs.
A piping plover pair returned to Fishers Island in early April. By early May the female was nesting on her “scrape” in the Sanctuary of Sands area of South Beach. Sandy-colored feathers help her to disappear into the background, particularly important since piping plovers are a “threatened” species.
There are fewer than 2000 pairs of piping plovers on the Atlantic Coast. Support our precious wildlife. Kindly continue to leash all dogs.
Sanctuary of Sands, West End, Fishers Island.
From the Field, Field Note, Justine Kibbe, May 7, 2019
This is the time of year when I always look forward to the Conservancy’s Spring Migration Bird Count (May 19). A point to point, west to east survey of all the unique bird species Fishers Island habitat attracts and welcomes “home” each season.
I’ve learned so much touring the Parade Grounds with Dr. Adam Mitchell (entomologist) and the birding team. I’ve asked tons of questions about insects, birds and habitat, all of which have helped me “discover” the Island as a Naturalist.
Yesterday, I was heading out the door with camera in hand, trying to catch up with Barred owl’s evening hoots, when I was met by this inquisitive, woodsy visitor all plump and puffed with cinnamon down. This lovely bird was unfamiliar to me; so I was equally curious…
The bird is a veery: a small forest thrush whose name denotes its ethereal and reedy song “vrdi vrreed vreed vreer vreer”.
From the Field, Field Note, Justine Kibbe, May 5, 2019
Duck Pond, Fishers Island
From the Field, Field Note, Justine Kibbe, May 4, 2019
