AmericanBlackDuck

Photo Study Of Some Birds At E. B. Forsythe NWR (Brigantine), February 13th, 2011

    Brig was well thawed out yesterday with a temperature of 46 °F and loaded with birds. Because there was lots of open water along with accessible mud, the waterfowl were
    abundant. I also saw a flock of well over 1000 gulls (primarily Herring and Ring-billed with an occasional Great Black-backed). But the surprise of the day were the many,
    many thousands of Dunlin actively feeding on the mud flats. They were spooked by a Peregrine Falcon from time to time and they would then rise up in unison, a whirling
    cloud of sandpipers, before finally settling down again to feed.

Whirling Dunlin Mob

Dunlin

    The Dunlin (Calidris alpina) is a small wader (6.7 to 8.3 inches long with a wingspan of 12.5 to 14 inches) and is similar in size to the European Starling. It is a circumpolar
    breeder in Arctic or subarctic regions. Birds that breed in northern Europe and Asia are long-distance migrants, wintering south to Africa, southeast Asia and the Middle
    East. Birds that breed in Alaska and the Canadian Arctic migrate short distances to the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America. Dunlin nesting in northern Alaska
    overwinter in Asia.The Dunlin is highly gregarious in winter, sometimes forming large flocks on coastal mudflats or sandy beaches. Large numbers can often be seen swirling
    in synchronized flight on stop-overs during migration or on their winter habitat. This bird is one of the most common and best-known waders throughout its breeding and
    wintering ranges, and it is the species with which other waders tend to be compared. The Dunlin moves along the coastal mudflat beaches it prefers with a characteristic
    "sewing machine" feeding action, methodically picking small food items. Insects form the main part of the Dunlin's diet on the nesting grounds; it eats mollusks, worms,
    and crustaceans in coastal areas. (Cornell BNA; Wikipedia; Sibley Guide To Birds)

Peregrine Falcon

Great Blue Heron

Northern Shoveler Drake Feeds

Northern Shoveler Drake Flies

Hooded Merganser Drake

Red-breasted Merganser Hen

Common Merganser Drake Takes Off

Northern Harrier Overhead

Species Seen Today:

American Black Duck	Canada Goose	Great Black-backed Gull
Mallard	Brant	Dunlin
Northern Shoveler	Common Merganser	Great Blue Heron
Northern Pintail	Hooded Merganser	Northern Harrier
Tundra Swan	Red-breasted Merganser	Peregrine Falcon
Mute Swan	Herring Gull	Red-tailed Hawk
Snow Goose	Ring-billed Gull	European Starling

To see a larger image of any of the photos below, please click on either the thumbnails or the captions...thanks!


AmericanBlackDuck	AmericanBlackDuck2	Brant	Brant2	CommonMerganserDrake

CommonMerganserDrake2	HoodedMerganserDrake	HoodedMerganserFlies	NorthernPintailDrake	NorthernPintailHen

NorthernShovelerDrake	NorthernShovelerHen	Red-breastedMerganserHen	Red-breastedMerganserHen2	DunlinMob

Dunlin	Dunlin2	HerringGull	HerringGull2	Ring-billedGull

FishCrow	GBH	GBHPortrait	NorthernHarrier	NorthernHarrier2

Howard B. Eskin 2011 Please email your comments to hbeskin@voicenet.com Please click here to go back to Bird Webpage Index