Orange County American Golden-Plovers

One of nine American Golden-Plovers, Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
One of nine American Golden-Plovers, Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.

I left work this afternoon with one objective: to scour southern Orange County until I found some new shorebirds. Well, I got lucky, and at my fourth stop, which was the Old Warren Sod Farm, where I located 9 American Golden Plovers. The birds were quite distant and I was struggling to ID them. My initial thought was that they were Black-bellied Plovers and  it wasn’t until John Haas showed up and the birds took flight that it became clear that they were AMGPs (no black wing-pits). The birds were quite restless and moved around quite a bit and luckily at one point they landed close enough to us for some photos. Linda Scrima also made it out a little later, and though the birds were a bit distant at that point, she got good looks in the scope.

Other shorebirds present included:  Killdeer (100+), Least Sandpipers (2), Pectoral Sandpiper (1), and Lesser Yellowlegs (1).

AGPL at Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
AMGP at Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
Lesser Yellowlegs in some nice light. Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
Lesser Yellowlegs in some nice light. Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
Pectoral Sandpiper at Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14. Photo by John Haas. I had a camera meltdown when John located this Pectoral Sandpiper and was unable to get a shot. Thanks to John for giving me this one.
Pectoral Sandpiper at Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14. Photo by John Haas. I had a camera meltdown when John located this Pectoral Sandpiper and was unable to get a shot. 
Four of the nine AGPL was the best I could do in one photo. Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.
Four of the nine AMGPs was the best I could do in one photo. Old Warren Sod Farm, 8/28/14.

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