[MDOsprey] Delaware Bay Shorebirds...
Ryan A. Lesh (ryanlesh@wam.umd.edu)
Sun, 25 Jul 1999 17:43:56 -0400 (EDT)
The Chester River Research Center crew took some time off from our
grasshopper sparrow studies today to check out DE shorebirds. Some
thoughts for anyone planning a trip...
All of the pools in Bombay Hook were drier than I've ever seen (even
Shearness), and the few shorebirds present were concentrated around five
or six wet spots. A breeding-plumaged Stilt Sandpiper was the only
highlight. Little Egret, Hudsonian Godwit, and Reeve were all reported
within the last 2 days though. A good number of Westerns were spread
across the refuge.
Port Mahon was full of birds, but nothing unexpected. Sanderlings
numbered in the hundreds and many were still in fair breeding plumage.
About 1000 laughing gulls cluttered the beach near the fishing pier.
Hoping for something better, we moved on to Ted Harvey, picking up two
Upland Sandpipers at the Air Force Base. Surprisingly, there were more
birds at Ted Harvey than at Bombay Hook and Port Mahon combined. Two
Whimbrels were feeding at the edge of the bay, which despite lots of
searching were the best birds we could produce. Birds numbered in the
thousands and were a nice mix of yellowlegs, dowitchers (I won't add to
the long-billed debate), semipalmated sandpipers and plovers, leasts,
sanderlings, and turnstones.
My advice, despite the destruction of the old pools, would be to check
out the Ted Harvey beach if birding at other locations is unproductive.
Cheers,
Ryan Lesh
Chester River Research Center