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Discover the Wonders of Carroway Island
Ospreys (Fish Hawks)
Ospreys (Fish Hawks)
Ospreys (Fish Hawks)
- Nest on channel markers and old pilings
- Seen diving sharply into the water for menhaden
- Return reliably each spring
Great Blue Herons
Ospreys (Fish Hawks)
Ospreys (Fish Hawks)
- Stand motionless along tidal edges
- Known locally as “marsh sentries”
- Most active at dawn and dusk
Snowy Egrets
Ospreys (Fish Hawks)
Laughing Gulls
- Easily identified by yellow feet
- Often seen darting quickly through shallows
- Gather in small, loose flocks
Laughing Gulls
Brown Pelicans (occasional visitors)
Laughing Gulls
- Named for their unmistakable call
- Follow working boats closely
- Particularly bold during summer
Brown Pelicans (occasional visitors)
Brown Pelicans (occasional visitors)
Brown Pelicans (occasional visitors)
- Increasingly seen in warmer months
- Dive dramatically from low heights
- A newer presence compared to older records
Red Knots & Sandpipers
Brown Pelicans (occasional visitors)
Brown Pelicans (occasional visitors)
- Stop briefly during migration
- Feed along exposed mudflats
- Often gone as quickly as they arrive
Common Tern
Forster’s Tern
Forster’s Tern
- Agile, fast-moving seabirds
- Often seen hovering before diving sharply for fish
- Travel in small, vocal groups
- Their sharp calls carry clearly over open water
Forster’s Tern
Forster’s Tern
Forster’s Tern
- Slightly paler and quieter than common terns
- Favor marsh interiors rather than open bay
- Often glide low over grasses and channels
- Less noticed, but more constant
Least Terns
Forster’s Tern
Semipalmated Sandpipers
- Smallest of the local terns
- Nest directly on sandy or open ground
- Move quickly and unpredictably
- Easily overlooked until suddenly everywhere
Semipalmated Sandpipers
Semipalmated Sandpipers
Semipalmated Sandpipers
- Travel in tight, coordinated flocks
- Move rapidly along the waterline
- Feed continuously in shallow edges
- Seem to change direction all at once
Sanderlings
Semipalmated Sandpipers
Sanderlings
- Known for chasing waves in and out
- Constant motion along open shoreline
- Pale coloring makes them highly visible
- Rarely still for more than a moment
Willets
Semipalmated Sandpipers
Sanderlings
- Larger, more solitary shorebirds
- Recognized by bold wing markings in flight
- Known for loud, insistent calls
- Often act as informal “sentinels” of the marsh
Discover the Wonders of Carroway Island
The Carroway Marsh Lark (A Bird Not Listed Elsewhere)
There are reports, quietly shared, rarely written, of a small marsh bird appearing on Carroway only between late April and early August.
Described as sparrow-sized, with a pale gold throat that catches the low evening light, the bird is said to sing only once per day, just before sunset, from deep within the reeds.
Reported Characteristics:
- Not observed nesting
- Avoids open ground and human structures
- Emits a single, clear descending note
- Disappears entirely by late summer
Ducks of Carroway
Mallards
American Black Duck
American Black Duck
- The most familiar duck on the island
- Seen year-round in quieter inlets
- Known to wander close to homes and docks
- Their presence is often taken for granted
American Black Duck
American Black Duck
American Black Duck
- More reserved than mallards
- Prefer isolated marsh edges
- Blend almost perfectly into the grasses at dusk
- Considered a “waterman’s bird”—seen more than heard
Canvasbacks
American Black Duck
Canvasbacks
- Arrive in colder months
- Favor open water beyond the shallows
- Strong divers, rarely linger near shore
- Once prized heavily by market hunters
Buffleheads
Red-breasted Merganser
Canvasbacks
- Small, quick, and constantly moving
- Travel in tight groups
- Dive frequently, disappearing without warning
- Their sudden absence often noticed before their arrival
Blue-Winged Teal
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
- Among the earliest migrators
- Prefer shallow, grassy wetlands
- Move through quietly in small flocks
- Often gone before most realize they were present
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
- Most commonly seen around the island
- Recognized by their thin, serrated bills and ragged crest
- Strong fish hunters, often diving in choppy water
- Move in loose groups, especially in colder months
Common Merganser (less frequent)
Common Merganser (less frequent)
Common Merganser (less frequent)
- Larger and more striking in contrast
- Seen occasionally in deeper channels
- Prefer clearer water when available
- Less tied to the marsh than other species
Geese & Swans of Carroway
Canada Geese
Canada Geese
Canada Geese
- The most commonly seen large birds on the island
- Travel in loud, shifting formations overhead
- Graze along open grass and higher marsh edges
- Their calls often carry across the island before they are seen
Snow Geese
Canada Geese
Canada Geese
- Arrive in large, striking flocks during migration
- Bright white bodies visible from great distance
- Known to blanket open fields briefly before moving on
- Their departure is often as sudden as their arrival
Tundra Swans
Tundra Swans
Tundra Swans
- Seen primarily in late fall and winter
- Travel in family groups across open water
- Their soft, whistling calls differ from harsher waterfowl sounds
- Often rest in quiet coves away from regular activity
Mute Swans
Tundra Swans
Tundra Swans
- Larger and more solitary than tundra swans
- Recognized by their curved neck and silent movement
- Often seen in pairs, holding to a defined stretch of water
- Known to be territorial if approached too closely