Day 214 - 2nd August 2015 - Black-billed Cuckoo, Boreal Chickadee, Shorebirds and Water Lilies

Foggy out there this morning, but it will no doubt burn off and be nice again. The girls will head back home and I'll roam the hood. Not planning any great amount of activities today.
We had a perfect day for birding. The day started off with a big breakfast then Lou Anne, Donna and I hit the road about 6:45 am to meet Laurel at the Tim Horton's in Barrington by 7:30. Headed to Cape Sable Island in search of the Black-billed Cuckoo. No luck on the first visit but the property owner Mark promised to call if he heard/saw it again so off we went to the Guzzle. A few peeps around but no Stilt Sandpipers. Around to Daniel's Head, quiet there (tide by then wasn't where we wanted it), but the phone call came and we dashed back to Mark's in search of the Cuckoo. After a few minutes sure enough sharp eyed Laurel spied him. So we all got photos and a lifer. Laurel and I also got a Boreal Chickadee which we could add to our life lists. Down to Sandhills in Villagedale to see if Red Knots had arrived. Lots of Dowitchers, Semipalmated Plovers, Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, a few Black-bellied Plovers but no Red Knots. Since Lou Anne was in search of a House Finch  and we wanted to check for the Willow Flycatcher, we decided to head off to Yarmouth. Ervin's yard yielded a female House Finch and we got to enjoy his lovely water lilies and garden. A little sight seeing trip to Cape Forschu and then we drove back through town to Brookside Park in search of the Flycatcher. Lots of Mallards, Red-winged Blackbirds, even a Cardinal but no Flycatcher. It was time for supper, then we dropped Laurel back at her car to go home and we headed in our direction but not before detouring to Crows Neck Beach in Baccaro. As the sun was setting we were on the drive back home. Needless to say no one was up long after we got there.


The Black-billed Cuckoo.  Handsome guy with that big red eye and long tail.

Arctic Tern. Note to self - a hard hat is wise when chasing Terns. There were only two but they weren't happy with us and continued to dive bomb us. One got with inches of my head.

 There was only one Piping Plover at Crows Neck Beach that we saw.








Boreal Chickadee - hiding in the shadows. Hard to tell he has more of a brown cap.

Palm Warbler.

 And there were loads of shorebirds at Sandhills. Love watching them in flight.

 One of many.

These were the prettiest water lilies.







Enjoy your day!