[Birdnet] Stilt Sandpipers at Bear River MBR

[Kristin Purdy]

I made my weekend pilgrimage to Bear River MBR again this morning to study 
shorebirds and saw STILT SANDPIPERS twice near the south corner of the auto 
tour loop. I think these were two different birds. This is the same area 
where Mark Stackhouse reported one yesterday. The birds were inside the auto 
tour loop and my position was about two-tenths of a mile northeast of the 
observation tower, looking north into Unit 2.

These sandpipers appeared to be adults by virtue of their soft gray 
upperparts; they've advanced mostly to basic plumage although one still 
showed some barring down the side and flank.

If you look for them, pay attention to both yellowlegs species. Those are 
the ones you'll need to check and dismiss in order to find the Stilts. 
Dowitchers were present, but the Stilts were more active than dowitchers, 
seemed to be circulating with yellowlegs and share the same color scheme as 
yellowlegs right now (white and gray with yellow legs). The dowitchers are 
mostly still in brown-rufous plumage. I found that the Stilt Sandpipers' 
combination of white supercilia contrasting with darker eyelines along with 
the black drooping bills were the features that caught my attention; then 
watching for the more subtle features took over. This is purely a scope 
endeavor. The birds were too far out even for binoculars.

Both birds flushed (at different times) to the northeast with many others; 
after I looked for them for another hour Jack Binch joined me we looked a 
bunch more. We couldn't find them again. Bummer.

The water continues to recede and so do the shorebirds. It's remarkable how 
much farther out they were than just two weekends ago. But viewing was also 
good on the west leg of the loop up to three to four tenths of a mile north 
of the tower and the birds were closer from that side by afternoon.

Other good sightings included (in the order of the sightings) two 
Short-eared Owls about a mile west of the Canadian Goose club, two adult 
Black-bellied Plovers still in alternate plumage, a lone Semi-palmated 
Plover, Paul Higgins and Steve and Cindy Sommerfeld. The owls were on the 
north side of the road and one was a juvenile standing on the ground. 
Today's trip was my third in two weeks and I've seen one or two owls at dawn 
and as late as 8:45 am along the same stretch each time--1/2 to 1 mile or so 
west of the Canadian Goose club.

Bear River MBR is located about 11 miles west of I-15 at exit 363.

Kris