July 9, 2004
Western Sandpipers return!
After drawing a complete blank on migrant shorebirds last week, Caz, Z and I returned to the City of Davis Wetlands, where Jon King informed us that 200+ Western Sandpipers were feeding around tract 5. Sure enough, the sandpipers were still present, many still in their smart breeding plumage.
There were one or two Least Sandpipers mixed in with them, but we weren't able to pull a Semipalmated out of the flock. About 40 Long-billed Dowitchers were also showing well in their dapper breeding plumage. Otherwise, we heard one Whimbrel and saw 4 Greater Yellowlegs in addition to the throng of Stilts and Avocets.
This pair of Blue-winged Teal was already moulting into eclipse plumage:
The mammal highlight was 4 River Otters together, one of which caught and devoured a fish.
Apparently shorebird migration doesn't hit full swing for another month, so if we're getting hundreds of peeps now, can't wait to see what August has in store!
Posted by rjhall at July 9, 2004 2:09 AM