Had a dreary misty morning today, so I went to Gotch Park. And hit two good warbler veins on the south loop. I got a Wilson's Warbler, a Canada Warbler, Black-and-White, Chestnut-sided Warbler and American Redstart, as well as a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and a very porky juv. Eastern Towhee that Dr. Dinsmore had seen a few days ago.
Most sheetwater areas are looking like they are going into terminal phases. Only large wetland regions (such as the flooded field on Georgia Ave and C26) look like they will have significant resiliance into the next weeks, unless significant changes in the meteorlogical outlook change. As such viable habitats will increasingly become scattered and ephemeral which means if you want to do shorebirding in Humboldt county, get ready to put your driving gloves on (subsequently chances of finding a Buff-breasted Sandpiper will likely go up...if I understand Dr. Dinsmore correctly). However, I did get lucky this afternoon. There was a strong push through the counties and across the sheetwaters birds were bundled up close. I had several Killdeer, thousands easily, this was equally true of the common shorebirds, the yellowlegs, pectorals, and peeps, etc. I had about six Stilt Sandpipers, a Wilson's Phalarope, and Wilson's Snipe. The two big guys were a single American Golden Plover...and last but probably best...a RUDDY TURNSTONE. Just let me check (you can't tell this is an extemperaneous post) yes, it's a RUDDY TURNSTONE...I am looking at the picture I took, which is on my laptop and looking at the picture in my companion edition of Nat Geo guide to N. American birds and it's a winter adult. I doubt it will have site fidelity as the it was on one of the collapsing sheetwaters, so it likely won't be there tomorrow, unfortunately, I'm sorry. In short, shorebirds will be increasingly compacted onto smaller and fewer sheetwater areas...which means finding them will be both time consuming but potentially amazingly rewarding if you get lucky. Jacob Newton Ottosen, Humboldt Co., IA...soon to be Ames...looking forward to it... --- Please contribute your sightings to our list; it is only as good as members make it! --- Birding channel recommendation for FRS/GMRS radio use: Primary selection; channel 5/0 , alternate selection; channel 6/0 --- This mailing list is sponsored by the Iowa Ornithologists' Union. Membership available on-line at http://www.iowabirds.org/iou/membership.asp. ----- You are currently subscribed to ia-bird as: [email protected]
