From Tim McCarthy - [email protected]
We've sure had an up-and-downer this spring. We learned a few important
new things. (New to me, anyway) One was that Whimbrels appear to be able
to fly over a storm, like the one we had last Thursday. That's taking
advantage of a favourable tailwind without getting your own tail wet.
Another was that Whimbrels use riverways, among many other tools to
navigate North to the breeding grounds. That may explain why Toronto is
such a good spot for them to make their big change in direction, their
right turn,due to all our North-South oriented streams. And thanks to
our friends in Machipongo we have learned that the Whimbrels' food in
the Delmarva stopover area is still as good as it used to be. So next
season I'll be on the lookout for birds that fall out of their flocks
and land, as always. We'll just have to dream up a new reason for them
to be doing so. The winning theory right now is that they've always been
doing it. There were 87 of them this season that stopped over, a flock
of 85 that Wayne found right next to us at daybreak one morning which
could have been there all night but flushed right away and a couple of
strays who got together one afternoon and could possibly have stayed the
night. They were gone by next morning one way or another. And then there
were the 350 or so who rode Thursday's storm and wound up landing at
Port Credit. Or how about all the Whimbrels that have been seen around
Lake Erie this spring? Maybe its just that the birds are turning up
there more often and if so, how is this phenomenon explained? Weather
related? Wait 'til next season's window and some more inspiration from
our friends. Too bad the window to study is so small. Another good thing
is that the planners involved in the new construction to the West of Sam
Smith Park appear to have been listening to our call for Whimbrel
stop-over habitat and are apparently building some. More on that later,
when we see what it is.
The grand total this year was 2,160 compared to last years' 3,461.
Storms were bad this year and frequent. So that may have been a factor.
It looks like all the other shorebirds passing over have declined as
well, though its been a while since I saw a Willet or a Red Knot like we
did this season.
Conclusion? I guess all I can say is that the reason for our shorebird
woes is pretty plain to see. The solution? Nobody wants to tackle that one.
I'm really going to miss doing this report, thanks to all of you who
read this stuff and pass back your helpful comments and encouragement.
See you all in September for the High Park Hawk Watch.
Tim
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Mark Cranford
Ontbirds Coordinator
Toronto ON
[email protected]
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