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| NEWPORT HISTORIC BAY FRONT |
We parked near the area where the crab boats tie up -- and what a variety of waterfowl we saw -- including the largest COMMON LOON I've ever seen!
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| COMMON LOON BY CRAB BOATS |
So this Saturday we returned in the sunshine to see if the ducks and other birds were still in place. They did not let us down!
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| COMMON LOON |
The beautiful, huge loon emerged from the water close to the pier where we stood.
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| BLACK TURNSTONE |
While I was watching the loon, my husband spotted a BLACK TURNSTONE on the pier near me. The bird ignored us while I approached to get a better shot, then made a noisy getaway when I got too close!
Some of the ducks we saw:
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| SURF SCOTER |
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| COMMON GOLDENEYE |
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| BUFFLEHEAD |
Some of the gulls we saw:
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| MEW GULL |
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| GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL |
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| HORNED GREBES |
There were several HORNED GREBES and a couple of EARED GREBES.
Each of the Eared Grebes we saw were hanging around with a COMMON GOLDENEYE -- what funny looking pairs they made!
The iridescence of this PELAGIC CORMORANT was evident as he surfaced in the bright sunlight.
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| PELAGIC CORMORANT |
More cormorants groomed themselves near the base of the jetty wall.
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| SEA LIONS |
While the resident SEA LIONS made a racket nearby.
If you've never visited the Newport Historic Bay Front you'll be sure to enjoy the many shops, restaurants and other attractions such as the Undersea Gardens and Ripley's Believe It Or Not. Worth a visit, rain or shine!
That's a great collection of birds... The turnstone might be my favorite. It almost looks like the cormorant is in a swimming pool!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen! The color of the water in both the cormorant and the loon photos is due to reflections from the brightly colored boats that they were near (one was turquoise, the other kindof aqua colored).
ReplyDeleteNice pictures Dawn! I like the Surf Scoter. I can never seen to get close to them as you did. I love the bills on those ducks.
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