The Sanderlings have arrived!

Today I headed down to Newport to continue photographing the collection at the Hamilton Family Aquarium. The old location which still housing the animals is located right on Easton's Beach. So when I realized I had some time I decided to whip out my camera and start taking shooting. Luckily for me the first birds I saw were a lifer.

The first species were a flock of Ruddy Duck. They were bobbing in a reservoir not too far from the beach. I had never seen these small compact ducks so I was excited when I saw their upturned tail, a good indictor you're looking at a Ruddy duck. Unfortunately they weren't in their breeding plumage, in which the males sport a bright blue bill! Nonetheless a great start for an unexpected birding session. As I made my way closer to the beach a pair of Mallards caught my eye, the sun was hitting them perfectly and I couldn't resist taking of picture of them. It doesn't matter how many times I've seen them, I'll always take the time to appreciate their beauty.

When I finally made it there were a bunch of little round blobs running from and chasing the waves. A flock of about 20 Sanderlings were foraging along the beach. Sanderling are a species that nest in the high arctic, however during winter they can be found on nearly every coast on the planet. Outside of their breeding season they're considered a cosmopolitan species, or species that are found on all continents of the globe. Averaging out at around 2 oz, sanderlings been known to fly over 6,000 miles during migration. These birds wintering in Rhode Island only had to fly 2,000 miles, nothing crazy.

When the waves retreat they typically uncover organisms hidden in the sand, this is when sanderlings run in and quickly probe the sand. Once another wave moves in they try to outrun it back up the beach. I was so caught up in watching them do this over and over that I was almost late!

I'm starting to prefer birding during the cooler months. My interactions with birds tend to be a lot more personable. Maybe thats because there’s a lot less species to look for and I try to savor my time with those I do find. Whatever the reason, I'm excited for this winter.