Ruddy Turnstone Migration - East River

It has been rainy and windy for the last couple days. It was stay-indoors-weather that was too grim for a hike let alone a canoe trip.  So a cloudy day with a threat of modest rain, no wind, and warm temperatures was welcome.

I headed over to the East River, putting in at Foote Bridge.  The sky was a heavy overcast and so, no one else was around, until the guy with the e-bike arrived.  I've seen him many times before.  He comes here for short hikes in the East Woods and we talked for a couple minutes, both of us relieved to finally be outside.

The tide was heading out and had been for almost 3 hours, so there was a easy downriver current but still plenty of depth so that dodging rocks was not necessary.  The forest section had several Snowy and Great Egrets, a couple Osprey, Red Wing Blackbirds, and Swallows snagging flying bugs.

Yellow Crowned Night Heron

Spotted a young Yellow Crown Night Heron near the old trolley line.

Willet

Below the railroad, many Osprey perched in the few trees or on old posts.  Of course, the Willets were about as usual.  I thought about trying the Sneak, but figured it was more likely that I would have to portage part of it, and it wouldn't be so bad except for the unbelievably strenuous mucking from the water to the good footing of the spartina.  I continue downriver. 

Ruddy Turnstones

I continue all the way to the mouth of the river just in case there are interesting birds at the point. And, there are.  I find about three dozen Ruddy Turnstones.  This is the only place I've ever seen them, having spotted them here a few years ago. They are migrating to the Arctic coast in Canada.  It is a very pretty bird with colorful plumage that makes it blend in with the cobbles and gravels that it likes to feed in. They are also not particularly shy and let me float 20 or 25 feet away.  Anyway, they were quite busy turning over rocks and digging in the gravel.

As I head back, I flush a flock of 2 dozen Dunlin. 

The weather continues to improve, and while I have the river to myself, when I get back to my start point, people have arrived to hike the forest