Birding at Ninigret NWR: Featuring a Common Loon (6/20/22)

Our first birding trip to Rhode Island started at Ninigret NWR. In the Salt Pond Unit, we began on the Foster Cove Trail where some of the birds we identified were common loon, prairie warbler, white-eyed vireo, eastern towhee, herring gull, and American goldfinch. The East Entrance and Grassy Point Trail was the best spot in the refuge for birds as we picked up 26 species in that area at the end of the afternoon. Some of the birds we identified were great egret, osprey, double-crested cormorant, belted kingfisher, Forster’s tern, Canada goose, killdeer, American robin, blue jay, willet, mallard, and cedar waxwing. The Kettle pond Unit had far fewer birds. Along the Ocean View Trail, we only identified chipping sparrow, gray catbird, double-crested cormorant, eastern towhee, and blue jay. The Watchaug Trail was a little better. Birds we identified included blue-gray gnatcatcher, ovenbird, yellow warbler, house wren, yellow-throated vireo, downy woodpecker, and red-eyed vireo.

MY PHOTOS: common loon, double-crested cormorant, belted kingfisher