The field that has been consistently good for field shorebirds over the past
2 weeks produced an absolutely to-die-for-gorgeous juvenile Sharp-tailed
Sandpiper this morning between 0830 and 0945. I had to return to the house
here to
post it and make some phone calls, but I'll go back and try to get some
photographs. For those not familiar with this bird, the Sibley guide shows a
typical juvenile. In the soft light of the morning, the orange of the breast
and
the chestnut of the cap and upperparts' feather edgings were positively glowing
-- the orange of the breast looked about 10x more intense than that of
neighboring Buff-breasted Sandpipers, truly unlike any other shorebird we see.
If
scanning this field, look for this color first, as it should narrow down the
candidates quickly! (There's a nice photo in American Birds magazine, Vol. 41,
p. 1358, of a juvenal-plumaged Sharp-tailed.)
Also present here this morning are:
Black-bellied Plover 450
Semipalmated Plover 200
Killdeer 6
Upland Sandpiper 5
Buff-breasted Sandpiper 2
Dunlin 1
Least Sandpiper 50
Lesser Yellowlegs 20
Baird's Sandpiper 1 juv.
White-rumped Sandpiper 15-20
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Pectoral Sandpiper 43
Very surprising is the absence of American Golden-Plovers here so far;
Short-billed Dowitcher has been present here as recently as a week ago. To
reach
this field, go north on Rte 13 past Sting-Ray's and take your first left onto
Arlington Rd (644). Go past the turn-off for Custis Tomb Road and pull over by
the small dirt road (don't trespass here -- the land belongs to Mr. T. Hume
Dixon, and the road IS used by residents here) called Wheat Lane. The bird was
on the south side of Wheat Lane in the muddy plowed potato field.
The wind is SW now, which will hopefully keep birds here, but the fields have
already started to dry after yesterday's heavy rains, and Sharp-taileds like
muddy environments.
If visiting this area, remember that local residents don't want to come to a
stop on Arlington Road -- this road gets a fair amount of traffic. Be sure to
pull all the way off the road.
Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA
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