My parents left today, so we borrowed a car to take them to the airport. We took advantage of the mobility to run a couple of errands. While out running errands I took a look at the Turnaround and Swan Lake for birds.
Weather: The rain has returned. There was moderate-heavy rain through the morning and early afternoon. The rain let for awhile this afternoon and the sun even shown briefly before periods of rain for the rest of the day.
Birds: I did not see any shorebirds at the Turnaround, though there were plenty of gulls. Included in the mix of gulls was a juvenile Bonaparte’s Gull. I was able to get a picture of it (see above), but not as good as I might have liked. The pouring rain and lack of boots sort of inhibited my attempts.
I think there was also a young of the year Mew Gull there, though I am less certain about that.
At Swan Lake, in addition to the abundant Mallards, I saw the male Green-winged Teal I observed yesterday. I also Confirmed the American Wigeon I thought I saw yesterday, and was able to get a photo of what I believe is a Lesser Yellowlegs. If this is correct, it would be the first photo I have managed to get of this bird (as far as I know, anyway).
Slime Molds are something I am not all that familiar with. Until this year, I do not think I had noticed slime molds more than a handful of times.
This summer I have noticed slime molds growing a few different places while on hikes, but never in the abundance and variety that I saw yesterday along Mosquito Cove Trail.
There were at least 4 distinctly different forms (and I assume they would be different species). One of the yellow forms was present in multiple locations.
This pink form was the most interesting to me. I guess I am not certain it is a slime mold, but that
is my best guess. It reminds me of bubble gum. Unlike other slime molds I have noticed, this one had a relatively tough outer layer. However, inside the thin leathery exterior was a pink slime.
I observed this bird at Swan Lake today. I suspect it is a Lesser Yellowlegs, but I am uncertain. When it flew off, it did have the white patch above its tailfeathers that is characteristic of yellowlegs. It also seems to lack the up-turned bill of a Greater Yellowlegs.
My uncertainty arises from the shape, which seems different than what I have seen on Greater Yellowlegs before (I’ve not ever seen a Lesser Yellowlegs). The shape is probably due to the bird’s attempts to endure the moderately heavy rain that was falling at the time. There seems to be only minimal barring/spotting, much less than appears in the bird books I have looked at.
Any help in confirming/denying my suspicions with reasons why would be appreciated.
We went for a picnic with friends out to Starrigavan. After eating, a group of us took a hike around Mosquito Cove trail. This evening after church, we went to McDonalds with friends. On the way home I stopped at Swan Lake to take a look, but I did not have my camera, so I was not able to take any photos.
Weather: There was some low clouds and fog in the morning. They started clearing off through late morning, and there were some cloud breaks before it became overcast. The rain held off until later in the evening.
Birds: At swan lake this evening I saw a Green-winged Teal and I am pretty sure there was also an American Wigeon. There were many Mallards with young in various stages of development.
Flora: It has been awhile since I hiked Mosquito Cove. I had forgotten how lush some of the mosses are along the trail.
The big thing of the day was slime molds. I think there were at least four different kinds of slime molds that we saw along the trail. Some of them were visible at more than one location.
Melissa was looking at the beach fringe at Mosquito Cove and noticed a Galium that did not seem to be cleavers or sweat scented bedstraw. After looking it up in the book when we got home, she concluded that it was probably little bedstraw.
Other Notes: Bear droppings were plentiful along the trail. A sign posted along the trail indicated that bear had been seen on the trail most days over the last week or so.
There were a couple of seiners making sets just off shore from the beach part of the Mosquito Cove trail loop.