[obol] Re: Lincoln Co birding 4/19 -- Semi Plover early?
- From: "Wayne Hoffman" <whoffman@xxxxxxxx>
- To: <llsdirons@xxxxxxx>, <deweysage@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2014 19:33:37 -0700
Hi –
Unfortunately you are right that Yaquina Bay does not get much shorebird use.
One problem is that it lacks good high tide roosting habitat. The marginal
areas that it does have tend to have high levels of human traffic. The beach
just south of the South Jetty has potential for high tide roosting, but gets a
lot of human and dog traffic.
I think Siletz Bay gets a bit more shorebird use, but it is much harder to bird.
Wayne
From: obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
David Irons
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 4:43 PM
To: deweysage@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: OBOL-to post; deborah.holland@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [obol] Re: Lincoln Co birding 4/19 -- Semi Plover early?
Greetings all,
Dave Lauten is spot on in this case. By the date of the report in question (19
April), we are at the front end of the prime window for not only Semipalmated
Plover, but all of the Arctic and sub-Arctic breeding shorebirds that pass
through Oregon as northbound migrants. I had a few Semi Plovers in Clatsop Co.
last Friday and was surprised to not find more than I did.
Surely some will disagree with this opinion, but if your phenology for migrant
shorebirds is calibrated based on what you see inside Yaquina Bay, it's not
going to be very good. For all of its outward attractiveness for shorebirds
(good-looking mudflats), the shorebirding there is pathetic. I have no
explanation for why this is the case, but in recent years this estuary is often
devoid of waders even right in the middle of spring or fall migration.
If I'm looking for shorebirds along the northern Oregon coast, I will drive
Clatsop Beach, go to Youngs Bay or Tillamook Bay. Even the tiny little
Necanicum estuary is better than Yaquina Bay most of the time. Sadly, if you
compare the 'best' Oregon estuaries to Humboldt Bay to the south or Willapa and
Grays Harbor in Washington, you will discover that these out of state estuaries
offer far better shorebirding and present a better picture of the phenologies
for migrant waders.
I am currently watching a Virginia Rail while taking a work break next to a
little wetland in NW. McMinnville.
Dave Irons
Portland, OR
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