Special Entry: Block Island

Welcome back, everyone! I’m going to be honest with you, I think I have been trying to avoid writing this entry. Don’t misunderstand, my trip to Block Island was AMAZING! Everything I could have hoped for and more, but when it came time to sit down and start this article I was a bit overwhelmed, to say the least. With nearly 2,000 photos and many birds I was looking for help to identify this was sure to be quite the undertaking. So, as seems to be my trend lately, I apologize for how long it has taken to publish this but, without further ado, here we go.

Back in October 2018 my husband and I came across an article about birding on Block Island during the Fall Migration and how absolutely amazing it was. After some conversation and planning, we decided to make a go of it, canceled a camping trip that we had planned and bought some ferry tickets out of Pt. Judith in Rhode Island. An excerpt from the Block Island Website reading, ” Hundreds of birders flock to Block Island each fall, as do thousands of Warblers, rare Sparrows and vagrants. A National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1973 with the transfer of 28 acres from the US Coast Guard. Today the refuge covers 127 acres at the North end of the island. Over 70 species of migratory songbirds visit the island each fall. The Piping Plover, a threatened species, may be found here. Block Island is home to the largest Gull colony in Rhode Island. As one of the most important migratory habitats on the East Coast, Block Island is the perfect spot for your next eco-friendly vacation” pretty much sealed the deal for us!

After hours of researching everything there was to research, realized just how expensive it was to stay on Block Island unless you had planned to stay in a hostel, and booked months in advance, we had some work to do. We decided the best way for us to do this trip was to drive to Rhode Island and stay in an inexpensive motel about an hour from The Block Island Ferry ( We chose the Krystal Penguin Inn) then drive to the ferry early the next morning leaving the car behind (most places we wanted to see were walking distance from one another and if not there were cabs easily accessible throughout the island).  Since we were obviously trying to do this trip on a small budget and could not afford to take extra time off of work we decided to only spend the day on the island, driving home to NY that same night.

From the moment we stepped off the ferry I knew this trip was going to be something special. The pier we docked in was lined with gulls that scattered to the crystal blue sunny sky with the rush of people flooding from the ferry doors. A mass of taxi’s waited eagerly along the road to whisk us off to our first destination, and for us, that was the Hodge Family Wildlife Preserve. Our Taxi driver was incredibly nice and actually wound up living right across the street from the preserve so he gave us his cell number and told us to call when we were finished and he would come to bring us back to the ferry.

The Hodge Family Wildlife Preserve was well marked and very easy to find, even if we did not have a local with us who knew the lay of the land. A large stone marker sat by the roadside marking the entrance and the trails are well defined and maintained. There are no benches or trash cans so if you decide to visit please be prepared to carry in/carry out. The trail is about a 1-mile long loop that leads down from the parking area, across the meadow down to the middle pond and back up. The walk is easy with only some minor inclines and the trial is wide enough to walk without brushing up against a lot of growth, though heavy tick spray is an absolute necessity either way!

The first view entering the preserve was like something out of a painting, too full of light and color for the real world. The entire earth was blanketed in swatches of yellows and greens with pops of bright purple flowers and orange butterflies, a backdrop of shimmering blue was the water making up the horizon. Palm Warblers and Song Sparrows darted in and out of tangled branches of shrubs and brambles at the head of the trail. White-breasted Nuthatches shot across the sky followed by clunky American Robins that seemed so much larger when set against there tiny counterparts. We walked down the trail spotting a twisted leafless tree housing a European Starling which was soon joined by a Yellow-rumped Warbler. Herring Gulls began to fill the sky as we walked closer to the shore, their calls echoing through the air. Double-Crested Cormorants and Red-Breasted Nuthatches soon taking to the sky as well. With every step we took a new bird would appear. A Song Sparrow hopped along the trail before us and Canada Geese waded in the pond off in the distance. A view of the Lighthouse came into sight far off on the horizon and it felt as though we were walking into a post-card. Monarch Butterflies dotted bushes and plants all around us and our trail began to loop back towards the direction of the road. The leafless tree that once held the European Starling now rested a Merlin, which I had nearly dismissed as the same bird in my eagerness to see everything! Crows flew over neighboring properties and more Canada Geese arrived on the pond. Double-Crested Cormorants headed towards the shore and a Northern Flicker landed to rest upon the same central leafless tree (which I had now begun to watch closely since it was attracting so many visitors!). A Northern Harrier circled off in the distance and Song Sparrows serenaded the warm Fall sun. As we walked back towards the road my mind was reeling with how many species we had already seen and we had only just begun! Large furry caterpillars crawled through the grass along the path and American Robins watched on intently as we walked. Taking a moment by the parking area for a drink of water and to check our map for the way to our next stop, a Savannah Sparrow hopped along a small rock wall at our side; a Life bird for me and the perfect cherry on top of our first stop of the trip!

The next stops were to be Sachem Pond, Cow cove and eventually the Northern Lighthouse though the walk there looked sure to be almost as impressive as the destinations themselves. The quiet roads were lined on both sides with walls of trees and shrubs that sang with the calls of songbirds and flashed with the bright colors of darting feathers. It seemed as though we could not take a step without stopping to photograph something new. Like a child in a candy store I hardly knew where to look first, all but running up onto peoples properties to capture a shot of a new arrival. Luckily, my husband was close by to keep me grounded because quite honestly after a while the entire island seemed to look like a garden waiting to be explored!

As soon as we set out walking down the road the first thing to catch our attention was a tree that seemed from a distance to have large clunky dark leaves scattered across its branches. Upon closer examination, we realised there were no leaves at all but rather branch after branch lined with dozens of Cedar Waxwings! Resting in the next tree, a timid Red-bellied Woodpecker and in the one beyond that, a group of Black-capped Chickadees. No matter where we looked, from the tallest tree to the smallest puddle or patch of grass, another bird sat, singing, hunting a snack or simply resting in the strong autumn sun. A large group of Red-breasted Nuthatches (the largest group I personally had ever seen in one place) crawled throughout a short group of dense pine trees and a family of Long Island Ducks rested in the shade on a private lawn (that we would actually find out was the front lawn of our Taxi driver). Two long dirt strips made up a driveway that ran across the property from the road to beside the charming country style home. the hot sun has dried the dirt to a fine light powder and a mass of small birds eagerly rolled about dusting their feathers. At first, I thought it was simply a large group of House sparrows but looking closer I began to pick out the varied parties to the affair. House Sparrows were there, as I had first suspected, but also nearly a dozen Pine Warblers. A mixed group of both White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches explored an adjacent tree, seeming to watch on in delight.

It did not take long before Sachem Pond came into view on our left, covered with the expected blanket of Canada Geese. A group of American Wigeons floated along closely together near the center of the pond while a family of Mute Swans clung to the far shore. Herring Gulls circled overhead and waded atop the water, sending out their usual trumpeting calls and even the occasional Ruddy Duck enjoyed the shimmering pond.

Steve and I headed right, toward the shoreline of Cow Cove, finding a quiet rocky area to rest, have lunch and explore the low trees and shrubs along the beach before taking the long trek to the lighthouse. We sat and unpacked a small picnic, the usual residents flitting about the trees beside us; Pine Warblers, Red-breasted Nuthatches and Yellow-rumped Warblers even a little mouse decided to come along and join us. A Double-crested Cormorant flew over and landed back in Sachem Pond at our backs and a flash of bright yellow caught our eyes leading us to find a Cape May Warbler perched in a nearby tree. A Gray Catbird, Prairie Warbler, and Blackpoll Warbler soon followed as well and I realized that we had picked a very good spot to rest for our meal!

The view ahead of us was breathtaking, shimmering blue water rushing to shore and crashing against large jutting rocks scattered out about the cove. Double-crested Cormorants congregated on the safety of large rocks rising above the water of the cove while a fearless Herring Gull walked about the rocky shore mear feet away from where we sat. Soon I was filled with excitement when I realized that a new bird had landed on that same rock, a Cormorant still but this time it was a lifebird for me,  a Great Cormorant! Finished eating and now charged with the adrenaline that comes with a new addition to your lifelist I left Steve to finish his lunch while I explored a bit more of the shoreline in the direction that we otherwise would not be going. The next bird I spotted was so small and delicate in its movements against the clunky rocks of the shore that I nearly walked right past it. A small Semipalmated Sandpiper and another lifebird! I crept closer, not wanting to spook it but hoping for a bit clearer of a photo and soon realised it was not alone but actually in a small group of about 6. A Great Black-backed Gull flew by as did countless other Cormorants and then I spotted the large group of Common Eiders riding the calm waves. I watched for a while, seeing steven collecting our things and packing our backpacks in the distance. White-winged Scoters, another lifebird, and Black Scoters, ANOTHER LIFEBIRD, soon began joining into the group rising and falling on the tide. Elated I ran back towards Steven and grabbed my pack to continue on our way. Before heading off I checked once more where the sandpiper had been for a final photo or two only to realize it had since been joined by a Semipalmated Plover as well. A huge cloud of swallows passed over the beach just over our heads, close enough to feel the wind move beneath their wings. Seeing what they were turned to Steven and explained that that was just a group of Northern Rough-winged Swallows and my fourth Lifebird since we had stopped for lunch!

Walking together again along the beach toward the lighthouse we passed Settlers Rock and watched the ocean as seals bobbed above and below the glistening waters. Our calves quickly tightened and began to burn in an attempt to adjust to the softer earth beneath our feet. Warblers continued to flit from shrub to tree and back again as we walked. Cape May, Palm, Pine and Blackpoll Warblers becoming common sights. Briefly, we walked around the lighthouse and gave a donation in order to view the small museum within, grateful for the solid ground and restroom. We sat briefly on a bench out back to rest and take in the beauty of the day before pulling out our maps once again to chart out our last stop for the day, “The Sacred Labyrinth“. Like everything else on the small island, it was not far away and after a few moments longer, we headed back towards the road and Sachem Pond.

As was the case with earlier in the day, the walk to our next stop was almost as exciting as the destination itself. With Red-Bellied Nuthatches, Pine Warblers and Brown Creepers pouring from every tree we passed it was hard to take more than a few steps without stopping to take a few photos or pausing to investigate a branch or shrub.

The “Sacred Labyrinth” is a small, Quiet, unassuming little elevated area to relax, meditate or just enjoy the view. With only a small sign along the road, it could easily be missed if we had not known to look for it, but I was so glad we had made the stop. The day was passing later into the afternoon, we were exhausted from walking and the sun had been beating down on us all day long; the Labyrinth allowed for a tranquil partially shaded little respite with a few benches and beautiful gardens to sit and relax for a while. Being elevated at the top of a hill there was a beautiful view with a bench set to look out over the shore and lighthouse.  Eastern Pheobes seemed to land all around us, catching insects and setting on fence posts and tree limbs to enjoy an early supper. A Yellow-Rumped Warbler walked about the grass, exploring ornamental rocks arranged around the land and an Eastern Towhee soon joined us, making himself at home on a nearby tree. A Northern Mockingbird sang from a set of utility wires running to a nearby home and a Song Sparrow rooted about in a patch of ground-cover wildflowers. Sitting on that bench we could feel just how worn out we truly were and soon that get up and go had all but drained out. We called our cab driver, who conveniently was just down the road and we walked back out to the street to wait for him. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker crawled up the trunk of a tree on an adjacent lawn and a European Starling and American Crow landed upon the powerlines running along the road.

I wished we could stay longer and continue to explore but the throbbing in my feet and burning in my calves assured me that we could not and soon the sun would begin to set. If we were going to make it back to New York tonight we had to get moving. We were dropped off back at the ferry which luckily was leaving in only a few minutes. we walked around exploring town briefly while we waited for our departure time already beginning to talk about what we should see and do next time we come back. with heavy hearts, legs and eyelids we boarded the ferry and watched the gulls scatter from the pier as the warning horn sounded and we pulled away, back towards home.

This trip was amazing, one of the bests I can remember, and even though it was only for a day it felt much longer. I was amazed how much life was packed onto such a small island, every place you looked was filled with new things to see and explore. I can’t wait to go back again! If you are a birder or even just mildly interested in birds I thoroughy recommend checking out Block Island in the fall, it is truly an experience like no other. Until next time my friends, happy birding!

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