It was pretty cool to see this Semipalmated Plover at Rock Harbor the other day. It was the first one I’ve seen this summer. It was wading in the water back by the boats on the Eastham side of the harbor.
The Semipalmated Plover has a black face, a black collar and orange legs and feet. I love the black-tipped orange bill. According to the Range Map, they spend their winters down south and summers in the Arctic. Maybe he is just passing through on his way up north?
I had just photographed a Piping Plover wading in the water at Rock Harbor when I saw this other bird nearby. At first, I thought it was another Willet, as they have been very abundant everywhere this summer.
It wasn’t until I got home and was looking on the computer when Phil said, “Look at those yellow legs!” Hmmmm. I quickly looked up on my iBird Pro if Willets have yellow legs. No, they don’t. And there on the iBird Willet page, it described the Greater Yellowlegs as similar but “smaller and slimmer with a more slender bill and yellow legs, and lacking the black and white wing pattern.”
Thank you, IBird Pro for making it so easy to research the Greater Yellowlegs. Beautiful bird, don’t you think?
There always seems to be someone in our birdbath… either taking a bath or getting a drink. This little Song Sparrow was so cute as he dunked up and down.
We have seen so many Willetts this summer, as they are very noisy and let you know they are around. They sound like they are singing “pill-will-willett.” It is a very distinct call. We saw these 2 Willetts on Coast Guard Beach, part of the National Seashore, last weekend and many more flying around.
I thought it was pretty cool that I got two of them in one frame. Have you seen or heard any Willets yet this summer?
We headed out to the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary early yesterday morning to see what birds were out on the beach, as it was soon to be low tide. We were not disappointed!
Looking for food in the tidal pools was a Black-Bellied Plover and he was beautiful! We spoke to one of the volunteers and she said that this bird was just coming into his plumage.
Beautiful bird, don’t you think?
Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.
