All, We had another very successful shorebird walk today Sunday August 25th along the dike between Knox-Marsellus Marsh and Puddler’s marsh. Between 715 am and 200 pm, we had a total of 70 people from different bird clubs around the area. I began with the group mostly from the Cayuga Bird Club. The Rochester Birding Association and Rochester Young Birder’s club met up with us around 9-10 am. I birded with these groups until around 2 pm as the Cayuga Group left around noon. This was the highest attendance I have ever experienced with these shorebird walks. I would like to thank all those who brought their expertise and assisted. We were lucky to have some "world class" birding talent with us from the Lab of O as Dave Nutter mentioned in his email. We also had many scopes which helped get people on birds. The success was because of the cooperative effort of all. Thank you!
Now onto the birds…Rarities included continuing AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN in the morning which took off before 10 am. LAUGHING GULL dropped back in with the gulls in KM marsh during the early afternoon. As for shorebirds there were more than I saw Friday. The habitat is getting better with more mudflats than Friday. Thanks to Linda Ziemba who has worked to prepare the habitat for shorebirds. Its working! Ann Mitchell got on a BAIRD’S SANDPIPER, Dr. Shawn Billerman got on a molting AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, and Dave Nutter found the first of several STILT SANDPIPERS. There were many SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, a few possible LONG-BILLED candidates that no one could confirm. There were many yellowlegs of both species with the GREATER outnumbering the LESSER. LEAST and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS were all over. We also had several PECTORAL SANDPIPERS. Pat Martin and I got on a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER that flew fairly close to the dike near some dowitchers. The white rump in flight was a give away. The bird was slate gray, longer than nearby SESAs, and primary projection past tail. This bird didn’t last long as it disappeared among a bunch peeps that flew by. The BAIRD’S was re-found by Jay McGowan later in the morning. Unfortunately we didn’t refind the White-rumped. There were also 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS at the beginning of the canal and 1 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER in transitional plumage. Jay found a WILSON’S SNIPE in flight and we had both KILLDEER and SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. This makes 15 species of shorebirds! Later with the Rochester Birding Group many of the shorebirds came closer to the dike including the AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER. This bird was joined by another golden-plover. We had great views of these birds and other of the above species. Unfortunately the BAIRD’S SANDPIPER was not re-found this time. Jay McGowan put together a comprehensive list that totaled 91 species which can be found here… https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59248832 I did my own list because I stayed later with the Rochester group until about 2 pm. I totaled 75 species but had 4 additional species that were not seen on Jay’s list. That makes at least 95 species! My list is here… https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59252385 the birds I had in addition to the 91 species were the LAUGHING GULL(landed on mudflat early afternoon), HAIRY WOODPECKER , BLUE JAY and NORTHERN FLICKER (woods by beginning of trail on way out early afternoon). These birds were heard only. I was wondering if we could ever get to 100 species collectively and in the coming weeks with passerine migration picking up, shorebirds still coming through and of course waterfowl and waders I bet it will happen. There is tremendous diversity in this marsh and these walks are so great in getting people to learn about and appreciate our birds. Thanks again to Andrea and Linda from Montezuma! Best, Dave Nicosia -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
