ML48346831

Age and sex

Immature Male - X

Observation details

Very uncommon in upper Narragansett Bay. I first saw this bird at the bridge and watched it swim halfway to the pier where it went to the beach and rested for a few minutes. I intercepted its path later while trying to photograph the Purple Sandpipers to the west of the pier. It swam slowly and calmly right past me as I crouched on the low tidal rocks. This individual was possibly seen yesterday on the Seekonk River in Providence by Michael Morin and is making its way back out of the bay (See this checklist). With a dumpy posture, wings held slightly lowered the bird might be injured (possibly missing tail/undertail feathers) and could be incapable of flight, although it is alert and apparently swimming well and covering some good mileage... It could very well just be gathering strength after the recent storms and high winds.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 7D

Lens

EF400mm f/5.6L USM

ISO

250

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/6.3

Shutter speed

1/1250 sec

Dimensions

4203 pixels x 2802 pixels

Original file size

5.78 MB