Sunday 26 July 2015

My Seventy-Seventh for the Year



Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus

I registered my 77th bird for the year on Thursday July 23rd, 2015.  It was one of the largest shorebirds, the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), locally known as Crookbill. I saw two Whimbrels at the now dry Chancery Lane Swamp along with four Willets (Tringa semipalmata)  , two Black-bellied Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola) (maybe juveniles) and over twenty Semipalmated Plovers (Charadrius semipalmatus).  Whimbrels are large shorebirds about 15-18 inches in length with a long down curved bill.  These birds are annual visitors to the island mostly around this time.

We are still at the beginning of the southern Migration season but it is slowly heating up. Due to the low rainfall, we been having, many of the wet areas are dry or almost dry but this could change very quickly. So stay tuned!

Here are a few photos of the birds at Chancery Lane on Wednesday.

Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus

Whimbrel
Willet - Tringa semipalmata

Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus

Willet and Black-bellied Plovers

Willet and Black-bellied Plovers

Willets


Willet in Flight 

Yellow Warbler - Setophaga petechia

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