Mid-August Shorebirding - 21 Aug 2021

The air felt a bit heavy this morning. Temps were to reach high 80's with high humidity, and the lack of air movement was proof. Still, the need to look for shorebirds was high, so I rode the Middle Causeway of Pt. Mouillee SGA toward the Banana Unit with the hopes of seeing something shorebirdy.

A pair of Sandhill Cranes bugled in the distance as they flew to the west in the morning Sun. Walpatich, Lachtenschlager and Bloody Run Units were quiet. A few American Coot were swimming among a pair of Pied-billed Grebes in the Humphries, but otherwise there was not much to see.

I spotted a pair of Tringa sp. silhouetted against the backdrop of the Sunrise as I approached the Banana Unit, so I continued past them until the Sun was at my back. Even without proper light one could tell that they were Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs just based on size. But, in the proper light I could tell that both were juvenile birds (fresh flight feathers, spotted edges, and smudgy gray breasts). I spent a few minutes digiscoping them.

Just minutes later a pair of Short-billed Dowitchers announced their approach with a loud "Doo-doo-doo" that gave me time to grab the a1 and 200-600 combo. Check out the clean orange-edged feathering and stunning black-and-white pattern of the tail on the juvenile in flight.

Equally gorgeous is the adult bird with its aged/worn flight feathers

Once they landed I couldn't resist turning the scope on them. The juvenile bird preened, fluffed, and posed for some images in the hazy morning light.

A closer look at the adult bird revealed a leg band. Despite using AI to blow up the band I could not make out enough numbers to bother searching for the bird's origin. But, if anyone else can please let me know!

I couldn't resist one last pic of a Great Egret posing in the background before moving on toward Cell 3.

The north end of Cell 3 held some water and a dozen Lesser Yellowlegs in fresh juvenile plumage. They were too far for digiscoping, and no other shorebirds were among them.

As I rode the Lake Erie shoreline to the south I couldn't help notice how much seaweed had washed up onto the shoreline; enough to cover the entire stretch of beach. Still, I did flush a Peregrine Falcon from the rocks up ahead and watched it fly ahead of me along the dike. It flew low to the ground before making a sudden turn toward the sky, then a dive toward a rabbit that was hidden in the brush. Both darted across the dike with the rabbit making a successful getaway. The Peregrine perched atop the large sandpile momentarily before continuing south over Cell 2.

A small opening at the SE corner of Cell 3 held some water and a handful of Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs and a pair of Pectoral Sandpipers. I was able to digiscope them from behind the dirt piles despite being harassed by mosquitos and a chattering baby Marsh Wren.

A Mink darted across the dike at the Middle Causeway junction, but did not allow any photos. I continued on toward the North Causeway. Things were quiet until I ran into Mary Wise and friends Alex and April. We chatted a bit before I headed south along the dike separating Long Pond and Bloody Run Units. I stopped just long enough to admire the huge American Lotus nursery along the shore of the Huron River.

A quick stop in the Bad Run Unit (I overshot the Middle Causeway while riding the Southwest end of the Walpatich Unit) produced about 60 Blue-winged Teal massing in the flooded fields. Sometimes it pays to get lost.