PHOTOGRAPHY : ( THIS PAGE ) CATE BROWN / ASRI ; ( OPPOSITE PAGE ) GETTY IMAGES / NEIL BOWMAN .
While the vast majority of Rhode Islanders were unaware that such an honored guest was in our presence , and probably wouldn ’ t have cared if they had known , this was a seismic event for birders . Taylor Swift could have been skinny-dipping at East Beach with Viola Davis and James Franco while Chrissy Teigen live-tweeted it , and they would have driven right past to fight for one of those precious few parking spots along Bay Street . “ Think it ’ s worth going back tomorrow ?” one birder asked on a text thread . “ Once in a lifetime opportunity ,” Carlos Pedro responded matter-of-factly .
It was a very big day in a big year for birding in Rhode Island . ( Those are loaded terms for birders : “ Big Day ” refers
to both a semi-official annual event during May migration and any special , daylong excursion to see as many birds as possible ; “ Big Year ” is a single-minded , twelve-month chase for the most serious birders and the title of a well-known book and movie about birding .) The Terek sandpiper was followed by a red-necked stint , a little stint and a ruff — none “ mega-rare ,” but all unusual enough to draw birders from out of state . Plus , there was a strange instance in May when a bevy of birds flocked to Newport ’ s Miantonomi Park , creating an impromptu Big Day ; Carlos Pedro says it was the most species he ever saw in a single day in Rhode Island .
I could not have picked a stranger or more unpredictable time to get acquainted with the Rhode Island birding community .
My entry point came through another story I wrote for this very publication (“ Searching for the Middle of Nowhere in Rhode Island ,” April 2020 ), one that involved nature explorations . My guide on one such foray , a thirty-something designer and nature enthusiast who lives in Providence named Greg Nemes , gave me an impromptu lesson in birding
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l NOVEMBER 2020 53