New Personal Best Year List for Rhode Island Birds

The middle bird is a Red Knot, today's target bird

Today I broke my record for the most species of birds seen in Rhode Island in a year. My previous best was 161 which I set in 2016. Last year I barely birded so I never came close to that number. So far this year, I've seen 164 species in Rhode Island.

After work today Laurie and I went to Napatree Point. I knew before going that I was two species from tying my record and three species away from a new PB. I knew there would be a lot of shorebirds there and I'd probably get them today. However, that was not my motivation today.

My true motivation to take the long walk out to Napatree was to look for Red Knots. Seeing and photographing Red Knots in breeding plumage was a goal that I set for myself months ago. Red Knots are fairly rare around here. Most fly right over Rhode Island on their way to Arctic breeding grounds. However, Napatree gave me the best shot at seeing/ photographing one.

The tide was perfect this afternoon for shorebird activity. I hadn't heard any reports about Napatree so I ws just hoping. At first we didn't see any Red Knots. I did see a Black Bellied Plover pretty quickly into the walk (one species down, 2 to go) When we got to the point there were dozens of Short Billed Dowitchers (tied my PB). I love shorebirds and was happy to see so many.

I crossed the outlet to the cove and walked up through some gross rotting seaweed and saw what I instantly recognized as Red Knots (record broke). I was pumped to see them. Unfortunately, just before we got to the cove it clouded up. My picture didn't come out like I hoped in the poor light. Still, I enjoyed watching them and trying to get a good pic for half an hour.

Red Knot in front of a  Black Bellied Plover

On my walk back to the car I saw a Willet and a Least Tern bringing my RI total to 164.

I know what you are thinking, if I got 164 in less than half a year, I could conceivably double that number. It doesn't work that way. First off, there aren't robins, cardinals, and herring gulls left. I got all the easy birds (except for a couple shorebirds). So the birds left will be harder to come by especially after migration is over and those birds passed through.

Secondly, my goal was never to break 2016's mark. I spend way too much time trying to photograph the birds I want pictures of. That is more important to me (and no less vain) than to be able to check birds off of a list. I don't know how many RI birds I can or will see this year. 180 seems like a possible goal, but make no mistake, that is no guarantee.

On a side note, my New England PB is 182, that number seems to be in jeopardy. As of now I have the 164 in RI plus another 11 in MA for a total of 175.

Lastly as I say all the time, there are people with way more birds than me. The Rhode Island leader Jan St. Jean has 247 species already!