The Fern Ridge bird the 23rd was an adult, too.
Alan Contreras
Eugene, Oregon
acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx
www.alanlcontreras.com
On Sep 3, 2018, at 9:31 AM, Tim Rodenkirk <timrodenkirk@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:POST: Send your post to obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
The BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER found by Nagi and Taghrid on Saturday was not
north of the diked road at the old Weyco Pond settling pond site- N Spit Coos
Bay this AM (as per their coordinates) but on the small mudflat south of the
diked road. I was out on Saturday AM but it was so foggy I couldn’t see the
mud from the dike. Anyhow walked ponded area north of dike which has good
habitat for shorebirds but everyone was south when I went there. I agree with
Bob about this bird- it appears to be a molting adult, not a crisp loking
juvie which I am use to seeing- can’t remember ever seeing an adult. I think
there are at least three adult records from OR two from Coos by Dave Lauten
and Kathy Castelein- July 7, 2003 and June 27, 2008. A fall adult may be
unprecedented? Nice find Nagi and Taghrid! I would check both sides of dike
for shorebirds if coming out here as birds easily move from one side to other.
Other birds included:
6 each of Killdeer and Wilson’s Snipe, 4 Western and 2 Least Sands, a few
flyover G Yellowlegs, a flyover Baird’s Sand, and 3 Red-necked Phalaropes.
Also two A. Bittern and a few Purple Martins with Barn Swallows. A couple
Yellow Warblers in willows too.
On 9/2 at beach here at same location I saw a Wandering Tattler, always odd
to see them foraging on the beach. Also found a juvie Traill’s Fly and 3 OC
Warblers with chickadee flock.
On 9/1 in the fog heard my first A. Pipit in a while at same N. Spit. Same
morning at Bandon Marsh found:
2,000 W Sandpipers
400 Leasties
50 SP Plovers
1- BB Plover
1 Baird’s Sand
Also a female Townsend’s Warbler with chickadee flock. Two Peregrine Falcons
were parked in the back end of the marsh which may explain the lack of larger
shorebirds.
Also Terry Wahl reports an ASH-THROATED SANDPIPER from the family ranch near
Cape Blanco, Curry yesterday and a Solitary Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowleg on
a private ranch in very SW Coos today.
Merry migration!
Tim Rodenkirk
Coos Bay
