3.6.14 - Near Sea Street Beach - Bird Nerd Moment

Near Sea Street Beach - Dennisport MA

 

The kids had a half day and after treating them to a rare lunch out... I dragged them to Nantucket Sound to see what we could see. 

Our List:

Common Eiders (male)

Buffleheads (female & male)

Goldeneye (male)

Brants

 

I know it may be silly to pick favorites of specific species of birds... but Brants are my favorite goose.  I remember noticing them for the very first time on Earth Day in 2010 when we went to the beach to do a cleanup, equipped with gloves and trash bags.  I remember thinking that they were Canada Geese at a first glance... but wait, smaller and where was the white cheek?  So I did my best to notice their field marks and came home and grabbed my field guide.  Brants!!!  I feel mentioning "beautiful bird" is so redundant, but sometimes it just happens.  These birds nest on the tundra and we see them as autumn is changing to winter and when winter is changing to spring.  They make me seasonally pleased.

We were at quite a distance, but these were the photos I felt like sharing of the Brants.

(Double click on images to enlarge)

 

Brants

Brants