Confirming other reports that the fall shorebird migration has begun, it was a
3-peep day at he Alexandria Cameron Run "hotspot" Friday, July 18.
Between 11:15am and 12:30pm, Don Stein and I observed about 12 Least
Sandpipers, 8 or 10 Western Sandpipers and a lonely Semipalmated Sandpiper.
Both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs were there too - about 10 Greaters with a
couple of Lessers.
Also sighted were a couple of Killdeer, a Great Egret, a couple of Great Blue
Herons, a Kingfisher (male, looking very crisp) plus the usual Canadas and
Mallards.
All the shorebirds were on the sand/mud flats downstream from the intersection
of Eisenhower Avenue and Bluemont, where Cameron Run flows under the Beltway.
Another good spot is the flats just upstream from the ntersection, but Friday
only some Greater Yellowlegs were there.
Other observers have noted this is a good place to visit from about an hour
before high tide on the Potomac at Washington to about an hour after high tide.
This was the case Friday. The birds apparently move here when the flats on the
river are covered at high tide.
Parking is a problem in this area; there are a couple of two-hour spots up
Bluemont from the motel on the corner. I've never chanced the motel lot.
There is parking at the Alexandria Wave Pool farther upstream, but it's a
lengthy walk back to Bluemont. There is a hike-bike trail on the stream side
of Eisenhower.
Kurt Henschen
Alexandria, VA
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