Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Meadows Notes: Louisiana Waterthrush, Shorebirds

A mid-morning stroll through the Meadows produced some nice birds, highlighted by a fly-over Louisiana Waterthrush that appeared to land in the vegetation behind the dunes near the west path. Now is the time to look for migrant Louisiana Waterthrushes, as they are one of our earliest "fall warblers," and are darn near impossible to find after August. In addition to the Louisiana, other evidence of a small passerine movement this morning included a few fly-over Yellow Warblers and Bobolinks, as well as a Northern Waterthrush at the State Park.

Shorebirds weren't bountiful this morning, but there were a few flocks of Short-billed Dowitchers here and there, as well as a couple passing groups of Semipalmated Sandpipers. Both yellowlegs were in attendance at the Meadows, and the beach there played host to Ruddy Turnstone and Sanderling. A pair of Royal Terns made a brief pass through the center pool at the Meadows, and a dozen Black Skimmers followed suit.

The haze over the ocean prevented me from doing anything that remotely resembled seawatching, but I hear that Wilson's Storm-Petrel and Black Tern have been seen from shore within the past few days.

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