Birding in Neighborhoods South - Summer Sightings

By Cathi Bower

Throughout summer we have visited a half dozen locations -  from Possession Point at the far tip of the Island and the Glendale (AKA Possession Sound Preserve) Pigeon Guillemot colony where we watched PIGU deliver a fish to its burrow and saw a lone and early southbound Swan, up to Greenbank Farm where we spied a family of Common Loons off Wonn Rd and the Lagoon Point Purple Martin Colony, and points between, at Deer Lagoon and Sunlight Beach.  Together, so far we’ve observed at least 85 different bird species during this season. 

Highlights included the beautiful Cinnamon Teals and Wood Duck families at Ewing Marsh, the amorous Caspian Terns at Deer Lagoon, the two dozen Bald Eagles standing around on the mud flats at Sunlight Beach, a deceased Great-horned Owl at Possession County Park, Purple Martins at GB Farm and at Lagoon Point, and at Wonn Beach the Eagle that captured a flounder and fed nestlings on the bluff, a family of Belted Kingfishers during a hunting lesson, Ruddy Ducks, Blue-winged Teal, and a Merlin at Deer Lagoon and the arrival of our Snow Birds to the walks!