I was at the Coast Guard area before sunrise to 6:30 AM this morning. There were numerous amounts of shorebirds all over the sandbar and surrounding shorelines - it was actually overwhelming.
Most were Semi-Palmated Sandpipers - rest were Sanderlings, Short Billed Dowitchers, Ruddy Turnstones -all in great numbers. Other species included American Oystercatchers, Black Skimmers, Semi-Palmated Plover (1), Spotted Sandpiper (1, summer resident), Common and Least Terns, Common Loons (2, there were 4 a few days ago), one each of Black Crowned Night Heron, Great Egret and Snowy Egret.
I tried to find more uncommon types in the mixed flock but did find any. I did find a tagged Semi-Palmated Sandpiper - blue tag with "UCH" on it. It seemed to have a problem with one of it's legs.
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| Coast Guard Sandbar |
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| Short Billed Dowitchers, Ruddy Turnstones, Semipalmated Sandpipers |
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| Oystercatchers and Sanderlings |
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| Ruddy Turnstone and Semipalmated Sandpipers |
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| Common Loon |
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| Per bandedbirds.org, this Semipalmated Sandpiper was banded January 29, 2013 at Coroa dos Ovos, Maranhao, Brazil: -1.447344 -45.161111. It’s very exciting to have the first report for this bird since it was banded! |
I was at shortbeach island yesterday at high tide and very little of the original island is left above water. It has become a sand bar due to beach erosion.
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