[wisb] Purple Sandpiper comment
- From: John Idzikowski <idzikoj@xxxxxxx>
- To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:02:10 -0600 (CST)
For those of us living near Purple Sandpiper spots we have a feel for a cyclic
occurrence of them- maybe at peaks of 3 or 4 years. Perhaps a review of the
fall field notes will show this. Note also that this year we have a lot of
Snowy Owls as well. Previously someone posted here that the lemming population
in the Arctic is at a high right now accounting for the many young snowies we
are seeing; an invasion is also expected next winter when the lemming nos.
crash.
I have read that researchers in the Arctic believe that when lemming nos. are
high predators take fewer young shorebirds, including Purple Sandpipers and
many more young birds then head south in fall. It is possible that a few
Purples make it to the western Gr Lakes every fall but we may miss them
completely but we notice the periodic high breeding success year occurrences.
Are most of the birds we see juvs in various degrees of wear sporting heavy
streaking and light edgings to the back feathers? I recollect more juvs than
adults in such heavy years.
I watched the Dec. Milwaukee Purple for quite awhile and it spent far more time
at the quagga mussel oyster bar at the waters' edge than in the nearby
Cladophora mats where we have always found them. In years past as long as the
"warm" microclimate at the shoreline affords them open foraging areas they may
stay around, but cold temps like what are arriving tonight together with a NE
wind and lots of wave action will freeze the entire shoreline and they will
probably move on.
John Idzikowski
Milwaukee
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