A Busy Holiday Sunday

Today was bird walk Sunday, so the day started out at the Norman Bird Sanctuary, and because my ride had to be back in town earlier than usual, I got more time for my regular Sunday constitutional, so I wandered a bit farther than usual, with good results.

In the Sanctuary itself we first ran into a deer along one of the trails (top left). Just beyond it is a field full of Bluebird houses; unfortunately it looks like there are no Bluebirds taking them up on the offer. But the Tree Swallows are out in force, and we suspect it's they who are taking up residence instead; I managed to get a shot of one posing atop one of the house poles (top right). Down the road at Third Beach along property owned by the NBS we saw this Willow Flycatcher perched on a wire (bottom left); there were plenty of them around, and their characteristic FITZ-hew was in the air the whole time we were down there. And finally, when I got back into Newport and wandered through Ballard Park I ran into this immature Cooper's Hawk (bottom right) perched on a dead branch over the Vernal Pond in the quarry.

Down on Hazard Rd. in the Gooseneck Cove salt marsh I found lots of Blue-eyed Grass.

And down on the Ocean Drive end of the Cove at the Green Bridge, Tern Rock is full of Common Terns.

I found some Forget-me-nots growing along Hammersmith Road.

And I got a surprise at Hammersmith Farm - in one of the fenced-in areas among the sheep and goats I saw this African Spurred Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata). I have no idea what it was doing there amidst all the heritage breed farm animals!

And finally, this shot of the tour schooner Madelaine sailing out of Newport Harbor into Narragansett Bay past the Rose Island Lighthouse, shot from Fort Adams.

And that was the long walk today. Whew! I'm tired! And a tad bit sunburned, too. It's time for some iced tea and a nap.

© 2010 by A. Roy Hilbinger