Matt Stickel and I birded Henderson County yesterday, focusing on searches of
shorebird habitat. We had 16 species there including pretty good numbers of a
few species. Good spots included Sand Slough and Horse Pond Slough (both eBird
hotspots) and the Wood Tract at Sauerheber. The first two require scopes and a
vehicle you don't mind getting muddy and driving through some water in a couple
of low spots.
Highlights included increasing numbers of Semi Plovers, three single
Black-bellied Plovers at different spots, increasing numbers of Dunlin and
Long-billed Dowitchers, and a single Stilt Sandpiper (Wood Tract). I saw an
early White-rumped in a flying flock of yellowlegs that we later saw at a
distance with some Dunlin. I also saw and heard a rare Western Sandpiper flying
over at Sand Slough, but when it dove down to the ground I could never relocate
it.
Every decade or so we get an unexplained well above-average spring movement of
Wilson's Phalaropes ... what a treat! We saw one to three at three sites plus
several at McElroy Lake at the end of the day. The peak numbers usually occur
during the last several days of April. eBird reports from elsewhere in the
western half of the state indicate multiple birds at multiple locations the
past few days.
We walked one of the dikes at Hardy Slough and kicked up a few Soras from along
the edge; shorebirds were limited in number and diversity, but we did kick up
our only Wilson's Snipes on the day and there were some awfully pretty Greater
Yellowlegs there. No ibis despite the great looking habitat.
As noted above, after it began raining and storming in Henderson County, we
decided to head to McElroy Lake to try for the ibis, which we did get to see.
We also saw one of the American Avocets that had been reported there earlier
for a 17th shorebird on the day.
The swallow concentration was very similar to the one that occurred last May
when the Cave Swallow turned up there. I wouldn't be surprised if one was among
the couple of thousand swallows there as of last evening or this morning. Also
present were a few egrets that were perched in the willow trees at the north
end; they included 3 Greats, a Snowy, and a Cattle.
bpb, Louisville
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