Photos & Lists from our Early June Birding Trips on Long Beach

Plymouth Long Beach in June is always a hit for birders. Not only can nesting birds, such as the Willet above (photo by Stan Deutsch), be found, but migratory shorebirds, Osprey, bank swallows, horned larks and lingering sea ducks abound. Highlights included Red Knots, Black Skimmers, and nesting Piping Plover and Least Terns.

Enjoy this photo documentary of our June 1st and 5th trips led by Soheil Zendeh. Scroll to the bottom for bird lists. If you like what you see, you can sign up to join us on a birding adventure on Long Beach soon. Click on date for more information: Thursday, June 16 (Piping Plover Quickie) and Saturday, June 18 with Evan Dalton.

There are 18 Piping Plover pairs on Long Beach this year. Photo by Stan Deutsch

Laughing Gulls are nesting at the north end of the peninsula. Photo by Stan Deutsch

Laughing Gulls. Photo by Sherry Carney

Osprey adding nesting material to its nest on Long Beach. Photo by Stan Deutsch

Osprey adult and chick at the Long Beach nest. Photo by Stan Deutsch

Least Terns by the dozen are courting on Long Beach. Photo by Stan Deutsch

Least Tern incubating its eggs. Photo by Sherry Carney

Red Knot and Black-bellied Plovers. Photo by Sherry Carney

Lovely day for birding and photography on Long Beach. Photo by Sherry Carney

Horned Larks also nest at the beach. Photo by Stan Deutsch

Bug Light off the northern end of Long Beach. Photo by Sherry Carney

June 1 Bird List, 28 species

Mallard  2
Black Scoter  7
Double-crested Cormorant  2
Osprey  4   (Two adults, two chicks)
Black-bellied Plover  25
Semipalmated Plover  1
Piping Plover  9
Willet  6
Ruddy Turnstone  9
Red Knot  8
Sanderling  1
Semipalmated Sandpiper  21
Laughing Gull  150
Ring-billed Gull  10
Herring Gull  85
Great Black-backed Gull  45
Least Tern  45
Mourning Dove  5
American Crow  2
Horned Lark  1
Tree Swallow  2
Bank Swallow  3
Barn Swallow  6
Northern Mockingbird  3
European Starling  3
Song Sparrow  3
Common Grackle  4
House Sparrow  4

June 5 Bird List, 31 species

Mute Swan  7
Mallard  4
Common Eider  1
Surf Scoter  3
Black Scoter  9
Common Loon  4
Double-crested Cormorant  6
Osprey  4 (two adults, two chicks)
Black-bellied Plover  4
Semipalmated Plover  1
Piping Plover  10
Willet  4
Semipalmated Sandpiper  35
Laughing Gull  150
Ring-billed Gull  140
Herring Gull  300
Great Black-backed Gull  60
Least Tern  40

Common Tern  10

Black Skimmer  2