Hi all,
Last night, just before sunset while birding at old state hwy 55 where it runs into Cascade lake we found two Stilt sandpipers foraging with nearby Western and Least sandpipers. Tall shorebirds like dowitchers with longer curved bills, white eyebrows, sewing machine motion when feeding.
We also had a flyover White faced Ibis, and new county bird for us.
This morning we went out again hoping to relocate them and did so quite promptly with good looks. A little distant for good photos unfortunately.
Then, as we were headed back we spotted a small flock of dowitchers. It consisted of four very typical reddish birds and one very gray bird. We observed them for a while, hoping they would fly and call, clenching the ID for all of them. Eventually, out of curiosity we decided to use Short-Billed Dowitcher playback. Immediately, the gray bird picked his head up, and was very alert. A few more calls from the playback later, the bird flew straight at us, calling “tu tu tu”, and then landed within 50 yards of us in a flock of Tringa. Once it was close, it gave soft “tu tu” responses to playback, clenching the ID for us. The bird always stayed separate from the LBDO’s, and displayed a very flat back when feeding, an occasionally useful identification piece. Also, the LBDO’s flew over shortly after and their flight call was very different, much more “pip” sounding and chattery.
Both the Stilt Sandpipers and Short Billed Dowitcher are first Valley county records!
We also had a flyover White faced Ibis, and new county bird for us.
This morning we went out again hoping to relocate them and did so quite promptly with good looks. A little distant for good photos unfortunately.
Then, as we were headed back we spotted a small flock of dowitchers. It consisted of four very typical reddish birds and one very gray bird. We observed them for a while, hoping they would fly and call, clenching the ID for all of them. Eventually, out of curiosity we decided to use Short-Billed Dowitcher playback. Immediately, the gray bird picked his head up, and was very alert. A few more calls from the playback later, the bird flew straight at us, calling “tu tu tu”, and then landed within 50 yards of us in a flock of Tringa. Once it was close, it gave soft “tu tu” responses to playback, clenching the ID for us. The bird always stayed separate from the LBDO’s, and displayed a very flat back when feeding, an occasionally useful identification piece. Also, the LBDO’s flew over shortly after and their flight call was very different, much more “pip” sounding and chattery.
Both the Stilt Sandpipers and Short Billed Dowitcher are first Valley county records!
This spot is fantastic for shorebirds right now. Between last night and this morning we have had, Pectoral, Least, Western, Semipalmated, Baird’s, Spotted, and STILT SANDPIPER. We have seen all three species of Tringa: Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, and Solitary Sandpiper. SHORT BILLED DOWITCHER, Long Billed dowitcher, White Faced Ibis, Killdeer, Wilson’s Phalarope and Wilson’s snipe make for 15 species of shorebirds within 12 hours.
Just wanting to let people know, and hope these birds stick for anyone wanting to chase!
Just wanting to let people know, and hope these birds stick for anyone wanting to chase!
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Eric (and Andrew and Bruce) Pratt