First PIPL chicks of 2014

Today, Memorial Day, 26 May 2014, found the first PIPL chicks of the year at the beginning of the Francis Street Spit at Milford Point.  There were 4 chicks--from exclosure number 2.  Not the best day because many Memorial Day beachgoers present.  Seems synchronized with beginning of Horseshoe Crab breeding season; Project Limulus people on beach tagging.  A few record shots below:

Yellow-throated Warbler, Mondo Ponds 4/25/14

Found a Yellow-throated Warbler around 2:30 PM at Mondo Ponds in Milford.  It was with a group of Warblers including Palm, Yellow-rumped, and Pine.  Located on the rocky promontory just off the
Naugatuck Ave parking area.  Possibly the same bird discovered by Frank Gallo on the other side of the parking area about a week ago.  A record photo below:

Yellow-throated Warbler, Mondo Ponds, 4/25/14

Dunlin, Sanderling, PIPL 4/21/14, 4/17/14 Mlfd Pt

Dunlin and Sanderling at Milford Pt on 21 April 14; new plumage (alternate) just emerging:

Dunlin btw Sanderling 4/21/14 Mlfd Pt

PIPL Milford Pt 4/17/14

Dunlin Mlfd Pt, 4/21/14 alternate plumage emerging on coverts, belly

Yellowlegs, Greater & Lesser, Pectoral, Dunlin 4/13/14

Both Yellowlegs, Greater and Lesser, were at Milford Point on 4/13/14.  Both in spectacular breeding plumage; also Dunlin (part of flock of about 700 Sanderling and Dunlin), and group of Yellowlegs and a pair of Pectoral Sandpipers in marsh next to parking lot platform.  2 Videos.

Lesser Yellowlegs 4/13/14 Milford Point

2 Pectoral Sandpipers, Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs 4/13/14 Milford Pt

Dunlin (a few Sanderling), Cedar Beach, Mlfd Pt, 4/13/14

Greater Yellowlegs, breeding plumage 4/13/14 Milford Point

Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Milford Point, 4/13/14

Yellowlegs and 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, Milford Point 4/13/14

Copulating Piping Plover

Copulating Piping Plover at Milford Point, 4/10/14.  This video, a composite of two videos I first put up on Youtube, shows two of three pairs of PIPL mating on this day at Milford Point.  A fourth pair was courting and probably mating too.  The first video ends at 1 minute 45 seconds; the second, which captures the male twirling the female at the end of mating, runs from 1:49 for about 30 seconds.  Captured are behaviors such as goose-stepping, neck elongations, and tattooing.  Also, notice aggression when male dismounts--in later clip the male grabs the female's neck and twirls her (could be twirling derives from her attempt to escape the clutch of his bill).

Great Corm 4/2/14; Bonaparte's Gull 4/2/14;Iceland Gull; Iceland Gull,Red-necked Grebe, RB Mergansers 3/31/14; 4/1/14

Below, a single Bonaparte's Gull, basic plumage  (one photo shows wing pattern): Bonaparte's often in flocks of hundreds at this time of year, often surface feeding with other gulls, occasionally Little and Black-headed) and waterfowl; also, on the cormorants' rock off of Merwin's Point, a Great Cormorant with white breeding flank patch preens near a pair of Double-crested Cormorants.  Greats mostly have left by this date while the DCs are arriving in numbers.

Bonaparte's Gull w Ringed-bills Oyster River 4/2/14

Great Cormorant w 2 DCs, Merwin Point 4/2/14

Bonaparte's Gull, 4/2/14 Oyster River

Bonaparte's Gull 4/2/14 Oyster River

Bonaparte's Gull 4/2/14 Oyster River

Iceland Gull (1st year) at Long Beach Stratford, 3/29/14; Red-necked Grebe record shot from Stratford Marina creek on 3/30/14,  and courting Red-breasted Mergansers at Milford Point on 3/31/14

Iceland Gull, Long Beach Stratford, 3/29/14

Red-necked Grebe adult breeding plumage, 3/30/14 Stratford Marina

Red-breasted Merganser, 3/31/14 Milford Point, the lady protests

PIPL Milford Point, 31 March, 1 April 14

 A few inches of snow fell on 31 March.  Below a few photos of the three PIPL we found that morning.

3/31/14 PIPL on Cedar Beach after morning snow

3/31/14 PIPL Cedar Beach

PIPL 3/31/14 Cedar Beach

PIPL 3/31/14 Cedar Beach

Today, April 1, found 6 PIPL at Milford Point.  One pair were deeply involved in courtship.  A few photos from today and 31 march, when it snowed!

PIPL courrtship 4/1/14 Milford Pt

male PIPL 4/1/14 Milford Pt

PIPL 4/1/14 Milford Pt

PIPL 4/1/14 Milford Pt

PIPL 4/1/14 Milford Pt

PIPL 4/1/14 Milford Pt