[Birdtalk] AIC Shorebirds Saturday in the PM

[Tim Avery]

Colby Neuman and I birded the causeway this evening between 6:30 and 9:00
pm.  Not a whole lot in the way of new birds.  Saw our first migrant Plovers
of the fall.  In the first patch of rocks on the south side of the causeway
were 8 SNOWY PLOVER (this is between MM 6 and MM 5).  Near MM2 we saw a lone
Sanderling.  We ran into the Beyer's who had seen several Sanderling as
well.  Perhaps the highlight was the number of Red-necked Phalarope, easily
numbering in the 1,000's tonight.  Near MM2 was a spectacle where about
2,000+ birds were congregated ust off shore making a racket and being quite
cooperative for the camera.

Entire Flock: http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/rnph_05.jpg
Flying: http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/rnph_06.jpg
Wide Angle: http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/rnph_07.jpg
Portrait: http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/rnph_08.jpg
Flight: http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/rnph_09.jpg
Flight: http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/rnph_10.jpg
Flight: http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/rnph_11.jpg
Flock: http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/rnph_13.jpg
Flight: http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/rnph_14.jpg

And it's always interesting going back through 500 shots and finding
something that you didn't see when you were shooting.  Today it was a Snowy
Plover that I caught in 2 frames flying just ahead of a couple phalarope:
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/snpl_01.jpg

Also, at about 8:15, a large flock of Marbled Godwit's flew over the
causeway.  Colby was busily trying to scope them to check for something
different.  I snapped a couple pics, and from what I can tell the group was
at least 87 birds: http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/mago_01.jpg

Several smaller flocks followed, numbering in the teens.  Sandpipers were
scarce, but there were a few Baird's, Western, Least, and Spotted around.
Also 3 Curlew, a couple Willet and of course some Avocet's and Stilt's.

And birds or no birds the sunset on the causeway is well worth the drive:

http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/sunset_07.jpg
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/sunset_08.jpg
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/sunset_09.jpg

And tonight it was double the fun, with a moon rise at the same time the
sunset:

http://timaverybirding.com/photos/july07/moonrise_01.jpg

Good Birding

Tim
tanager at timaverybirding.com
http://www.timaverybirding.com
Salt Lake City, Utah
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