After the excitement of seeing a pair of rare sedge wrens, for a change of pace I drove to Veterans Park in Hamilton. The park has a big lake that attracts eagles and waterfowl, and I was eager to spot a few to broaden my species count for the young month.
I walked across the dike, spotting a couple of dozen Canada geese and mallards swimming in the lake plus a few purple martins circling overhead. My objective was to reach the woods along the lake’s edge, where a fellow birder told me I had just missed seeing a bald eagle.
I turned my eyes to the mud bars just off shore and spotted plenty of birds strutting. First to reveal themselves were killdeer, and I was curious to see what other birds were nearby.
I wasn’t sure which were which, but a quick glance at the screen on my camera revealed least and solitary sandpipers (one of the latter tops this post). I had not seen those birds in many months and I was glad to see them again.
As for the eagle, I reckon I’ll spot one again soon. 🦅
The Jersey Birder 