More Good OC Shorebirds, 10/07/23

Just when I was beginning to think that fall shorebird migration was winding down, I enjoyed an excellent morning of shorebirding in the black dirt with birding bud Bruce Nott. Dodging raindrops as the rain persisted on and off all morning, we enjoyed finding over 60 individuals and (7) species of shorebirds:

  • Black Bellied Plover (4)
  • American Golden Plover (6)
  • Killdeer (7)
  • SANDERLING (1)
  • Pectoral Sandpiper (37)
  • Semipalmated Sandpiper (3)
  • Lesser Yellowlegs (5)
~Most of the birds were distant, but these five Lesser Yellowlegs came close enough for a decent shot. Black Dirt Region, 10/07/23.~
~There were 4 Northern Harriers keeping the shorebirds on their toes. Black Dirt Region 10/07/23.~

When the rain finally cleared out of the area for a while, I went to Mount Peter to count hawks (I was the official counter for the day). It was windy and much cooler on the mountain, but unfortunately not too many raptors were migrating through. In two hours of observation, I had only 7 migrants, the highlight being an adult Bald Eagle.

~A puffed up Pectoral Sandpiper in the black dirt, 10/07/23.~