Brig 3/20--Osprey

Every year, as a public service, I go to Brig in the spring and take the definitive photograph of  an Osprey so that no one else has to bother, a task made even more important this year since, from the reports I read, we're all supposed to lock ourselves away for the foreseeable future in order for us spread out getting sick at a pace the medical system can handle. So this morning, Shari & I social distanced ourselves with a circuit of the Wildlife Drive. I don't know if birding from a car will be considered "essential" in the bleak future.

I was hoping for a few more new birds for my list; Shari did great on her year list, including two American Oystercatchers that gave us good scope views. She was also interested in finding Northern Shovelers, which was no problem today.

When we first arrived I saw a flock of birds around the martin houses and thought I'd be able to add a year bird right there, but upon closer examination the swallows were Tree Swallows and the birds investigating the nest were House Finches. Disappointing with the swallows, disconcerting with the finches.

Still, it was a fine day for the first one of spring, not as warm as predicted with a stiff breeze and a few rain drops here and there, but there was plenty to look at and for whole moments at a time I was able to escape the oppression of the news and the markets.

We didn't walk any trails and only did one loop of the drive at low tide. Ducks are still the predominant family--shorebirds and raptors (other than the 5 Ospreys) were scarce. Just in case that Osprey above is not enough, below are three more just as good so you can see, all you photographers, you can spend your time on more worthwhile projects as I have already done your work for you.

Click photos to enlarge

Here's our day list. 

42 species

Snow Goose  600

Brant  150

Canada Goose  100

Mute Swan  4

Northern Shoveler  70

Gadwall  25

Mallard  16

American Black Duck  100

Northern Pintail  12

Green-winged Teal  15

Canvasback  9

Ring-necked Duck  4    Gull Pond

Bufflehead  3    One at Gull Pond, two at Exit Pond

Red-breasted Merganser  4    Channel off north dike

American Oystercatcher  2

Greater Yellowlegs  1    Heard Gull Pond

Ring-billed Gull  3

Herring Gull  100

Great Black-backed Gull  25

Double-crested Cormorant  2

Great Blue Heron  10

Great Egret  3

Osprey  5

Northern Harrier  1

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1    Heard

American Crow  1    Heard

Fish Crow  1

Tree Swallow  10

Carolina Wren  5    Heard

Eastern Bluebird  2    Parking lot

American Robin  5

House Sparrow  1    Heard

House Finch  10

Chipping Sparrow  1    Heard parking lot

Field Sparrow  1    Heard upland

Dark-eyed Junco  1    On Wildlife Drive; unusual place for it.

Song Sparrow  3    Heard

Red-winged Blackbird  25

Brown-headed Cowbird  5    Parking lot field

Boat-tailed Grackle  3

Pine Warbler  1    Heard

Northern Cardinal  2    Heard