July migrant birds

The birds are on the move, whether this is dispersal of young birds from breeding grounds, failed nesting adults who are wandering, or already southbound migrants heading out of our state. These migratory movements include swallows like Barn and Tree, Bobolinks, Yellow Warblers, Orchard Orioles, and much more. The group most noticeable among birders is the shorebirds as hundreds and thousands pile in to our beaches, mudflats, and marshes. Many rarities and oddities will be found in the next two months.

I started conducting International Shorebird Surveys on July 15, and I had some good results at my two locations - the infamous 'Access Road pool' in Stratford and our own managed Stratford Point property.

The shorebirds I had at Stratford Point included:
1 Semipalmated Plover
2 American Oystercatcher
4 Spotted Sandpiper
683 Semipalmated Sandpiper
200 peep sp. - seen on breakwater, too far/hazy/bad light to ID beyond this unfortunately

At the Access pool I had:
2 Killdeer
1 Willet
3 Lesser Yellowlegs
9 Semipalmated Sandpiper
38 Least Sandpiper
12 Short-billed Dowitcher
 
Of course, the very next day Frank Mantlik found a rare Stilt Sandpiper at the pool which seems to be sticking around. Isn't that the way it works most of the time? I can only hope that it will be there for another week in time for my next scheduled survey. Please do consider helping out with an ISS as an excuse to get out and see all of the cool birds we have moving through.


Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician