Ruddy Duck
I returned to the Toms Cove Visitor Center and birded both sides of the road once again.
Ruddy Duck
Ruddy Duck
Belted Kingfisher
Belted Kingfisher
I saw more Forster's Terns. They were diving head first into the water for a meal.
Forster's Tern
I saw one sandpiper that I could not identify. It looked like a Dunlin to me, but there is a dark area on its breast. In breeding plumage, Dunlins have a dark belly, but they have a streaked breast. Also, this bird has a patterned underwing, and the underwing on Dunlins should be white with a dark border. Its tail coloring looks wrong for a Dunlin as well. Any opinions other than a Dunlin for this bird would be appreciated. Could it be a Baird's Sandpiper?
Dunlin(?) and Greater Yellowlegs
Shortly before 2 p.m., a small flock of 8 terns flew in and landed in the water. I don't have a lot of experience with coastal birds, but these terns looked unfamiliar to me. They had black eye patches like a Forster's Tern, but the rest of their appearance was different: mostly gray with a short tail and a white rump patch, gray crown that extended part way down the nape, very black bill, and reddish-orange legs. I was stumped and checked my birding field guides, but couldn't find any good matches. After returning home, I posted photos of these terns, and several birders emailed me that they were first year Forster's Terns.
First year Forster's Tern
First year Forster's Tern
First year Forster's Tern
First year Forster's Terns
It was getting close to 3 p.m., so I headed to the Wildlife Loop parking lot. I stopped along the way to view a Great Egret, and an adult and a juvenile (green legs) Snowy Egret. I saw two Bald Eagles flying high and away from me, but got only poor photos of them.
Great Egret
Great Egret
Adult and juvenile Snowy Egrets
Adult and juvenile Snowy Egrets
I drove onto the Wildlife Loop just after it was opened to vehicles for the day, and this time had better light to see and photograph the birds.
Juvenile Tundra Swan
Adult Tundra Swan
Tundra Swans
Juvenile Tundra Swan
Tundra Swans
Green-winged Teals
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Pintails
I saw two American Wigeons that had reddish coloring above their eyes instead of the usual green, and I wonder if they are American x Eurasian Wigeon hybrids?
American Wigeons
I ended the day hiking the Marsh Trail, and after hiking more than 6-1/2 miles that day, was ready to quit for the day.
Click here to continue on the next day's return to Cambridge, MD.