Steve's Birds: March 2013

Friday, March 29, 2013

Moustache forehead bar copulates 3/29/13

Today, Good Friday, a sunny but cool and windy day, the PIPL with the moustache-shaped forehead bar was copulating with the female we found him with on 3/26. Below a few pictures: one of the male approaching the female at a right angle just as he's finished his goose-stepping (he ends by kicking her on the flank); one of him doing a symbolic nest scrape; him on top of her & copulating; a few photos afterwards that allow for IDing him.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

3/28/13 New PIPL Mlf Pt

Today we found two PIPLs at Milford Point, but at least one of them was new. Its neck band and bill differs from those of 3/26 and 3/27; its forehead bar is clearly distinct. A few photos below:

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

2 PIPL Milford Pt 3/26/13, moustache forehead bar

Today, in warmer, calmer weather, there are 2 PIPLs at the Francis Street spit at Milford Point. They look very much alike--probably 2 males from the sharpness of the neck band and the forehead bar, but they can be told apart. The one in the first 3 pictures is slightly darker overall, and his forehead band curves down slightly in the middle of the top edge (giving the impression of a moustache), in contrast to his paler friend (final 2 pictures) whose forehead band is straight. (Yesterday's bird did not have the moustache-like head bar.) Below some photos to illustrate.

3/26/13 Note indented forehead bar

2/26/13 Note unindented forehead bar

Monday, March 25, 2013

FOY Piping Plover 2013

Today, March 25, 2013, we found our FOY Piping Plover at the beginning of the Francis Street spit at Milford Point. A cold, windy day consistent with a cold March. Charlie Barnard had seen a PIPL on 5 March, but none has been seen in the area since that single bird. Also, yesterday we saw our FOY Osprey at the CACC, and today 3 Osprey were in the area, one on the feeding perch next to the nest pole/platform. And 6 AMOYs are back; also 7 Greater Yellowlegs.
Here are two pictures of the first PIPL: