Christmas Dunlin - 25 Dec 2019

We were just ready to head out to sister's house for Holiday celebration when I saw that Todd Palgut reported a Purple Sandpiper along with the pair of Dunlin at Pt. Mouillee SGA. The only information provided was that they were seen along the Banana Unit. So, the only logical thing to do was cut the visit short.

I got down there at about 4:30 pm, which meant that I had about an hour of light. Deciding to start at Roberts Road parking lot I rode the bike out the South Causeway to the Banana Unit with the idea to ride around the Lake Erie side. I quickly spotted Scott Jennex walking back toward me, and as I arrived to greet him I spotted the pair of Dunlin on a tiny mud spit next to shore.

We exchanged greetings and news that the Purple Sandpiper had not been relocated. After taking some quick digiscoped images of the Dunlin I rode on to see if I might spot it around the east side of the Banana Unit. I got as far as Cell 3 and turned back; the shoreline water levels were high and there was no sign of the sandpiper.

I turned back and stopped at the tiny mud spit and spent a few more minutes photographing the Dunlin pair, then the sunset over Fermi Power Plant. When I finished I noticed that the Dunlin were gone. Unable to relocate the Dunlin I headed back to the car.

I'll try again tomorrow.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, Happy Festivus, and Happy Holidays to all!