Richmond County Big Year: Sullivan' Island Trip cont.

So the trip was 2 1/2 days long. On the morning of the second day, we tried a place called Pitt Street Causeway a second time, because the first time the tide was too far out, and we couldn't see the birds! This time the tide was dead high!!! We just couldn't get the tide right. I did get 3 year-birds though. (Horned Grebe, Cooper's Hawk, Tree Swallow)

Coop

Horned Grebe

In the afternoon, I decided to walk from Station 17 to Station 30 and back. (About a 5 mile walk along the beach.) It was very exciting! I got to see a Red Knot with a flag on its leg!(A form of a band) I was able to get close enough to him to read the tag #. Later I saw a Piping Plover with bands on his legs too!

Piping Plover

Piping Plover - Sunset

I reported the two birds to banding websites. Maybe I'll get a response saying where they were banded! THE BEST PART of the walk was the Lifer! After 2 sightings of a loon sp. out in the water, finally I noticed a loon about 50 yards out. I grabbed the binocs, and soon noticed the intricate plumage on its back, the amount of white on the face, and the overall small size. All signs pointed to Red-throated Loon! An awesome experience! On the way back, as the sun set, I tried to take a picture with my crummy little phone since the camera decided to stop working again, and it didn't turn out too bad!

Sunset

The next day, I saw 5 more year-birds before I left at noon. ( Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, Gray Catbird, Clapper Rail, and Purple Sandpiper) The Purple was a Lifer! It was basically the last bird I saw before leaving, as I finally got the tides right and found it hanging out with another trio of Purps and some RUTUs and REKNs.