Milford Point - Connecticut Audubon Society 5/12/2019 & 6/8/2019

This is another place we went to on two separate occasions and decided to combine into one post.  Interestingly enough with just about a month apart we saw completely different birds.  It's a good thing to keep in mind if you ever go somewhere and don't have the best of luck; especially with how often migration patterns for all sorts of wildlife vary.  Also explains why some photos might look more overcast while some look sunnier.

While the other places we've mentioned so far have clear paths, this is more of an open area.  There's a very short wooded trail in the front beside a man made pond where we saw some rabbits, cardinals, etc.  You cross a small road to see a pier and from there it's a beach trail that loops around marsh.

Great Egret - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 with 1.4x Teleconverter - 1/1600; f/8; ISO 400

Great Egret - Canon 5D Mark IV 400mm 5.6 - 1/4000; f/5.6; ISO 500

Great Egret - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 with 1.4x Teleconverter - 1/1600; f/8; ISO 400

Great Egret - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 with 1.4x Teleconverter - 1/1600; f/8; ISO 400

Great Egret - Canon 5D Mark IV 400mm 5.6 - 1/4000; f/5.6; ISO 320

One of the first birds we spotted was a Great Egret.  We followed it around for quite awhile seeing it fly from one area to the next.

Canon 5D Mark IV 17-40mm 4 - 1/4000; f/9.0; ISO 1600

Semipalmated Sandpipers - Canon 5D Mark IV 400mm 5.6 - 1/2000; f/5.6; ISO 200

Semipalmated Sandpiper - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 - 1/1000; f/5.6; ISO 110

Horseshoe Crabs - Canon 5D Mark IV 400mm 5.6 - 1/800; f/9.0; ISO 250

We also saw TONS of Horseshoe Crabs along the coast either mating or traveling back to the shore.  A couple were pretty far out for it being lower tide which made us a little nervous.  Dan might've taken a couple of solo males and carried them back to shore.

Mute Swan - Canon 5D Mark IV 400mm 5.6 - 1/4000; f/5.6; ISO 320

American Oyster Catchers - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 - 1/800; f/5.6; ISO 100

American Oyster Catcher - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 - 1/1600; f/5.6; ISO 160

American Oyster Catcher - Canon 5D Mark IV 400mm 5.6 - 1/2000; f/10.0; ISO 640

American Oyster Catcher - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 - 1/1600; f/5.6; ISO 140

Canon 5D Mark IV 17-40mm 4 - 1/800; f/9.0; ISO 200

Piping Plover - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 with 1.4x Teleconverter - 1/1600; f/8; ISO 450

Alright time to talk about these cute little guys.  Last year we spotted some Piping Plovers in Cape Cod and saw they were fenced off; we had just thought it was mainly for mating season.  We shot some photos from a safe distance, but fell in love with how little and quick they scurry around.  When we saw the fences here we had a feeling that's what they were for and sure enough it was. There's been some photos recently floating around of the babies and during our second trip it was a goal to find one.

Piping Plover on Eggs - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 - 1/1600; f/5.6; ISO 125

Piping Plovers were an Endangered Species in 1986 and in 2019 are still Near Threatened.  We knew it was important to keep our distance, but didn't realize the extent.

We ended up running into someone who works for the Audubon Society and they warned us just how severe.  Just that week alone 4 of the babies had died.  If people, or animals, got in between the mothers and the chick, it left the chicks vulnerable and open to prey.

​Ironically right when he left we spotted a baby.  Knowing this we made sure to see the mom nearby, she was, and keep our distance.  Just to show for reference below is the cropped photo.

Piping Plover Chick - Canon 5D Mark IV 400mm 5.6 - 1/4000; f/9.0; ISO 1600

And here's the original uncropped, with a 400mm telephoto lens.  Yeah we didn't get the best shot, but we're keeping this species safe.

Piping Plover Chick - Canon 5D Mark IV 400mm 5.6 - 1/4000; f/9.0; ISO 1600

Although Dan did capture this Plover in the fenced area right when he was shaking and fluffing it up.  That was worth it.

Piping Plover - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 - 1/1000; f/5.6; ISO 100

Canon 5D Mark IV 17-40mm 4 - 1/4000; f/9.0; ISO 1250

Carpenter Bee - Canon 5D Mark IV 400mm 5.6 - 1/1250; f/5.6; ISO 320

Purple Martin - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 - 1/1600; f/5.6; ISO 110

Along the back side of the Coastal Center there is a another dock for Sight Seeing and to the right is a Purple Martin Colony.

Purple Martin - Nikon D500 200-500mm 5.6 - 1/800; f/5.6; ISO 100