Plum Island

There were 14 folks in four cars on the trip to Plum Island, but the tide had not dropped enough to uncover Joppa, so we drove quickly down the island stopping or slowing briefly for looks at a Peregrine, a Harrier, 30 Great and 25 Snowy Egrets, a close Redtail on the ground, and some Cormorants.  Stage Island pool looked very inviting, but we started at Sandy Point where there was still some room to park and the cove was already open.  We walked out on the beach to the cove, getting a flock of Sanderlings, hunting Ospreys and a Harrier. With a little more scanning we added a Golden Plover alone, some Black-bellied Plovers, 3 Dunlin, Semipalmated and Piping Plovers, and a Red Knot.  On the other side of the point at Emerson Rocks we had an Eider and a Common Loon.  On our return, Stage Island was still busy with many yellowlegs, some peeps, Green-winged Teal, a Pintail, 5 Dunlin, a Pied-billed Grebe, 4 Snowy Egrets and a Great Egret.  We drove without stopping much to the Forward Pool blind, finding the small parking lot full at first.  Then the birders there left, saying a peregrine had spooked all the shorebirds.  We still found some Dowitchers and yellowlegs, a few Snowy Egrets, and a flock of Green-winged Teal.  From the main dike at Hellcat there were a few yellowlegs, Killdeer, and peeps.  We skipped looking for Night-Herons at the roost, and only paused just briefly at the Wardens and Salt Pannes, hoping to get to Joppa before it was covered by the tide.  We were still too late, so we ended the trip and headed home.