While nations, groups, and individuals all over the world observe time in their own particular ways, the world comes together under the idiosyncratic structure of the Gregorian calendar. And as these final days of the month named for the first Roman emperor play out, we can each take stock of how we’ve spent or squandered the first two-thirds of the year. More important, how will we better utilize the remaining third? Think about it now, because you’re likely to forget about such serious matters by the time the weekend rolls around again!

My annual Piping Plover pilgrimage to Assawoman Island on the Virginia coast struck gold as usual. However, more impressive than shorebirds for me were the seven species of tern that (hehe) turned up, especially the cackling flocks of Black Skimmers that wheeled right overhead. Corey got out to Jamaica Bay this weekend and while he didn’t find any rarities he was pleased to see a variety of juvenile shorebirds. Of those he saw he was most pleased with the gorgeous plumage of young Least Sandpipers and he decided that the smallest shorebird was a perfect Best Bird of the Weekend.

How about you? What was your best bird of the weekend? Tell us in the comments section about the rarest, loveliest, or most fascinating bird you observed. If you’ve blogged about your weekend experience, you should include a link in your comment.

Written by Mike
Mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation, but he's also a traveler who fully expects to see every bird in the world. Besides founding 10,000 Birds in 2003, Mike has also created a number of other entertaining but now extirpated nature blog resources, particularly the Nature Blog Network and I and the Bird.