Baird's Sandpiper - 27 Aug 2023
With Pt Mouillee SGA closing for hunting on the 1st of September I wanted to get down there and do one last shorebird survey. A pair of Buff-breasted Sandpipers were reported there today, so I had additional motivation.
I parked at Mouillee Creek shortly before 5 pm and rode out the Middle Causeway to the Banana Unit. An Eastern Kingbird was flying along the Walpatich Unit ahead of me and I manage a few pics before it flew on.
A small passerine on the Middle Causeway next to the Humphries Unit had me questioning whether an American Pipit was ahead of me. It turned out to be a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird.
When I reached the Banana Unit I turned north and rode to the north end of Cell 4. I wanted to check out the field next to the construction unit to see if any shorebirds were present. I got lucky when I spotted a Least Sandpiper, and within moments a juvenile Baird's Sandpiper flew in. I was able to get digiscoped images as they both foraged next to a small puddle.
This pic shows nicely the size difference in the two peeps.
The juvenile Least Sandpiper shows much more red/orange coloration compared to the brown-black coloration of the Baird's.
I rode back to the north end of Cell 3 but did not see any shorebirds. I continued south along the Lake Erie shoreline to the south end of Cell 1 and flushed an Eastern Willet from the shoreline. However, it would be the only shorebird I'd see as I rode back north toward the Middle Causeway and west back to the car.
Aug 27, 2023 4:30 PM - 6:50 PM
Protocol: Traveling
12.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Clear skies, winds NE at 10 mph;
37 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 12
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 6
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) 2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 36
Redhead (Aythya americana) 2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 2
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 2
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 8
Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii) 1
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 2
Willet (Tringa semipalmata) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 6
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 4
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 3
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 1
Purple Martin (Progne subis) 24
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 6
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) 6
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 6
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 36
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 1
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 6
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 2
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
