Hi Everyone,

Ed Carlson and I checked Swan Creek this afternoon (7/20) and counted an impressive 37 WESTERN SANDPIPERs in the growing peep flock. Turnover is impressive, with species counts changing regularly as the flocks whirl around and move in and out of sight. There were a handful of Westerns when we arrived, but after rearranging later, a group of over 30 appeared on the left edge of the flock. One LEAST SANDPIPER was a juvenile - a few days earlier than I would have expected, but its perfectly neat and crisp plumage removed my mild hesitation based on the date. The vast majority of shorebirds were in the north cell. 

Other highlights included the following:

Northern Pintail--hen continues
American Black Duck--1
Cattle Egret--1
Killdeer--7
Spotted Sandpiper--6
Lesser Yellowlegs--8
Semipalmated Sandpiper--13
Least Sandpiper--152
Laughing Gull--4
Ring-billed Gull-4, including my first juvenile of the year
Caspian Tern--19 commuting, including whistling juveniles, at dusk

A couple photos:
http://www.billhubick.com/images/201107/western_sandpiper_swan_creek_20110720_01_larger.jpg
http://www.billhubick.com/images/201107/western_sandpiper_swan_creek_20110720_flock.jpg

See previous posts for background and details on access. Swan Creek/Cox Creek is an active industrial site and mitigation project in northern Anne Arundel Co. Access is at the end of Kembo Road off Fort Smallwood Road near 695. The site is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Remember to sign in, to be on your best behavior (people have worked hard to coordinate this access), and to stick to permitted areas. I recently created this map with details about where you are and aren't allowed to be. You can find it in the "Assorted Documents" page off my home page: http://www.billhubick.com/documents.php.

Good birding!

Bill
 
Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com

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