[MDOsprey] Re: Little Stint
Gyrfal@aol.com
Thu, 15 Jul 1999 23:43:00 EDT
Daphne Gemill and I saw the Little Stint this PM at Higbee Beach. We
expected to arrive and find many people with scopes already on the bird at
3:45 PM. There was just one elderly man who could not find the bird. It
took us nearly two hours, and the arrival of several other birders to locate
the bird.
In addition to the comments passed along by Charlie and Gail Vaughn (which I
agree with), there are two more notes that will help find and identify the
bird. First, is that it is VERY aggressive with other peep, particularly the
many Least Sandpipers, driving each away if it gets too close to its feeding
territory. The territory seems to be most often located near either
driftwood or junk appearing out of the muck.
Second, the Little Stint has thick knees! They are VERY noticeable, and
don't look anything like the usual peep legs. So if the light is bad, as it
often is, check out the legs of every sandpiper. The guy or gal with the
ugly legs is the bird!
For whatever reason, the juvenile Leasts are having problems, We found two
dead and one nearly dead. Others have found more birds. Cause?
Remember, that the closest place where one can park is the first intersection
of the road that ends at Higbee Beach, one mile away from the three trails.
If you are lucky, you can arrange with someone else to drive your down and
drop you off. If not, you can walk...
Bob Mumford
Darnestown