November 16, 2005
The curse of the invisible Sandpiper
I finally paid the price for my jet-setting when 2 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers were discovered in my home county while I was away in Florida. To add insult to injury, I arrived home to find a party going on in my house, where I met 2 birders (Ona and Carlos) who had seen the bird! They were, however, gracious enough to give me a ride out to the Wildlife Area in an unsuccessful search for it. Our consolation was an exceptionally late Wilson's Phalarope, and outstanding views of an American Bittern.
They still hadn't run into Burrowing Owl, so I took them to see our resident pair, only to discover that the male seems to be blind in one eye - hope he makes it...
Next day, while dipping yet another county bird (Swamp Sparrow), I was willingly 'abducted' by Daryl and Anne for another full day of birding. While birding was generally quiet, we did finally get to see American Dipper along Putah Creek - my 248th county bird! I arrived home to find a Praying Mantis on my door.
With no new reports of the Sharp-tailed, I had put all thoughts of the bird behind me when an out-of-area birder reported seeing the bird on Wednesday! I duly tried (and failed) to see the bird on Thursday, before heading south for the pelagic on Friday. Horror of horrors, the bird chose to make an appearance on Saturday when I couldn't do a darned thing about it. On Monday I made the decision to bike out to the Wildlife Area, walk the auto tour loop, and sit it out until the bird showed up. Bad idea. What started out as a calm, still day turned into a nightmarishly strong north wind. When my tripod no longer stayed upright without support I decided to call it a day. I was saved a dreadful ride home when the cavalry arrived - Joan drove in with a rope to attach my bike to her roof rack, and let me share in her chinese lunch to boot!
While the Sharp-tailed was a no-show, I saw my first white goose flock of the season...
... enjoyed the masses of waterfowl in the flooded fields,
and some other good birds including Virginia Rail, several Bitterns, Tricolored Blackbirds and Sandhill Cranes. I've given up on the invisible sandpiper now - at least until the next report!