Trustom Pond and other birding hotspots

Here is a post I did yesterday on RIBIRDS (the RI bird alert). Sorry but it's not very descriptive.

Birding yesterday (Aug 30) at Trustom Pond NWR on the "Otter Point Trail" from 10:30-11:30 am. Highlights included: Bobolinks 40+, Black Terns (many over the rocks in the middle of the pond), Wild Turkeys 2 and a possible Least Flycatcher.

At Mud Pond, Cards Pond and Moonstone Beach (from 11:30-12:00 am) we had:
Double-Crested Cormorants,
Canada Geese 4,
Semipalmated Plovers 2,
Sanderlings,
Semipalmated Sandpipers,
Ruddy Turnstones 2 (these two birds were seen flying past moonstone at about 11:45 am),
Red-necked Phalaropes 2 (these birds were seen resting in a hollow of a mud bank, they were very well hidden despite their silver plumage),
Green Heron 1,
Ring-billed Gulls,
Great Black-backed Gulls,
Herring Gulls,
Forster's Tern 1 (first seen over Cards Pond, we relocated it over Mud Pond just as we were leaving),
Tern Species 2,
Eastern Kingbirds,
American Crow 1,
Swallow Species (I think they were Tree Swallows, but I didn't get a good enough
look to tell),
Gray Catbirds,
Northern Mockingbird 1 and Song Sparrows.
We were unable to find the reported Little Blue Heron at Mud Pond.

The two Red Necked Phalaropes Did you know that phalarope means "Coot Footed" describing their lobed toes, which are similar in appearance to those of a coots. These birds were blown ashore by Irene 4 days ago. Some birders have noticed that one of them has an injured wing. They are generally pelagic species and are only found on land in the western states as they migrate north.

Searching the Jerusalem and Galilee area was uneventful with no birds more exciting than Laughing Gulls and Great Egrets. The Brown Pelican which has been seen here this week did not show.

Yesterday afternoon at low tide at Sabin Point Park in Riverside we had:
Double-crested Cormorants,
Semipalmated Plovers,
Spotted Sandpipers,
Semipalmated Sandpiper 1,
Laughing Gulls,
Ring-billed Gulls,
Herring Gulls,
Great Black-backed Gulls,
American Crows 2 and House Sparrows.

This juvenile Laughing Gull was found (inspecting a post) at Jerusalem.

Late afternoon at Turner Reservoir a small flock of Common Nighthawks was seen briefly feeding over the water.

The day before yesterday (August 30) we walked at RISD's Tillinghast Estate (RISD Beach) in Barrington. The immature Little Blue Heron which has been present here since the 18th continues to be seen. Also there were both species of yellowlegs and a few Semipalmated Sandpipers. The birding here should improve when the water level lowers. The water has been very high here after Irene.

The immature Little Blue Heron at RISD Beach.

On the 28th at Bold Point in East Providence, we had:
Double-crested Cormorants,
Turkey Vulture 1,
Peregrine Falcon 1,
Semipalmated Sandpipers,
Least Sandpipers,
Laughing Gulls,
Ring-billed Gulls,
Herring Gulls,
Great Black-backed Gulls,
Mourning Doves 11,
Common Grackles 2 and Brown-headed Cowbirds 3?

A Least Sandpiper at Bold Point, this bird was one of a few who decided to brave Hurricane Irene by hunkering down in the reeds.

I want also mention our sighting at Freetown State Forest. Here on the 29th we had: 2 Northern Bobwhites, 16 Wood Ducks, 1 Chimney Swift, Eastern Wood-Pewees, 1 Black-capped Chickadee and American Robins. The path was very overgrown with many streams and fallen trees crossing it. The Bobwhites erupted from the ground as we ran past them. They were about the size of Mourning Doves with a rufous color all over. Though I was unable to see the faces, my brother saw one of the faces and confirmed the identification by noting the buff coloring on the throat and brow.v