Bay Breasted, Striped sides, and Yellowthroats

Eastern Bluebird

The last week has been a fun one. It is no secret that May is my favorite month. Well, if May is my favorite month, then you can imagine how much I enjoy the middle part of it. Both birds and fish are migrating at full swing. I really wish I could slow down time. Time is short, bird migration will be over in another ten days. However, I think this cool weather might keep the stripers around for quite some time. A rundown on my last week

Sunday May 13- Laurie came over, went to Swan Point specifically to see Spotted Sandpipers. Saw three but were too far for a picture.

Monday, May 14- Went striper fishing with my friend Dave. I was using my seven foot rod while he was using his eight footer. He could outcast me by about 10 feet. All the fish were way out. He out fished me 26-7. Lesson learned

Young Baltimore Oriole

Tuesday May 15- Had a meeting at Naragansett Surfcasters. I had planned to fish first but huge thunderstorms  changed those plans.

Wednesday May 16- Fished a bay in my kayak. Caught eight stripers and three blues. Bluefish were about ten pounds each. First ones I caught this year.

Thurs May 17- Went back to the same cove. Fished all over. Caught 6 stripers. There were tons around but they were fussy. I tried everything in my bag. I would fan cast all around the kayak.  Yet, when I'd paddle right over spots I just casted and I'd spook them. Still I saw some big whirls of some very big fish. I got my phone wet and it broke. Spent the night phoneless. I wasn't going to waste a morning off to get a phone, so I planned on getting it Friday afternoon. I wasn't terribly upset that I broke my phone. It had a shattered screen and was only 8 GB so it was always short on storage. It was time for a new one anyway.

The first decent schoolie that I took a picture of with
my new phone.

Friday May 18- Day off from work. Got up at 5:30 am to go birding in Newport. Got to Miantonomi Park around 7 am. When I got there it was like a fallout. Birds were everywhere. In one tree I saw multiple Bay Breasted Warblers. There was a Canada, Blackburnian, and a Wilson's (lifebird). I also saw a Summer Tanager that was prettier than the one I saw at Trustom. Before I left I saw a Swainson's Thrush. I saw more Bay Breasred Warblers in fifteen minutes than I had seen in my whole life. Birding was awesome.

Got phone, downloaded the apps I need, took a nap.

Went fishing in the Upper Bay with Dave. Caught 6 stripers.

Saturday May 19- The forecast called for rain all day starting Friday night. Yet when I woke up it was dry. So I planned on doing as much as I could before it got too wet. If the rain was not heavy, I hoped to go to Napatree in the afternoon.

Left the house at 7 am and went to Franklin Farm in Cumberland, RI. There are Bobolinks there. I saw them within a minute but walked the fields anyway. Very cool spot. I can't believe I never heard of it. It is only ten minutes from my house.

Blackburnian Warbler from today.
I think it is young one since their head is usually a flaming
bright orange

After I left there, I went to Fort Sanctuary in N. Smithfield. Most of the place was quiet. One spot was birdy, where the powerlines meet the pond. I saw Bluebirds, Orioles, Common Yellowthroat, and heard several Swainson's Thrushes. On the way back to the car I saw a Veery and a Swainson's.

Drive to 'gansett. It was raining pretty hard and the wind was blowing in from the northeast.  I hoped to fish a rocky beach that is good at high tide. I tried for half an hour but it was dirty with seaweed. Then I tried a backwater spot. Calm and clean but no fish.

When I walked back to my car from my fruitless fishing trip, I heard a Black-Throated Blue Warbler. I got my binoculars and my camera. I wrapped my camera in my raincoat and looked for it. I never found it, but I saw a bunch of warblers. There were a lot of birds around despite the rain. I saw a Blackburnian, Black and White, Northern Parula, and a Chestnut Sided Warbler. There were also  Orioles and multiple Red Eyed Vireos. 

All in all, a pretty fun week. It is a great time to be outside. The birds are singing and stripers seem to be everywhere (even if sometimes they can be annoyingly fussy).

Coming up this week I really want to take the ride to Napatree that Mother Nature denied me today. I want to see (and photograph) a Red Knot and that is my best shot. Monday I have to do a double at work, but that is so I can take Wednesday off like I did last week. This will give e a three day vacation to go to Plum Island again. I'm also going to take a ride to Scarborough Marsh in southern Maine on Thursday. As you can imagine, I'm looking forward to this trip. If I can, I want to gt back out in the kayak Tuesday night and see if I can get even with those finicky stripers and maybe hook a big one. Also, there is a place where a Black Crowned Night Heron hangs out regularly. I saw it once but left my memory card at home. I want a picture. Seems like a lot to do, but May is only here for a short time. I'll sleep in the summer!




Yesterday's over my shoulder so I can't look backward too long
There's too much to see waiting in front of me
and I know I just can't go wrong

-Jimmy Buffett