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Re: CURLEW SANDPIPER - Maybe?!?!?!

As an addendum to Tim's note: I stuck around until nearly 7 p.m. but without
success. Joel and Kathy  Beyer were still around when I left and may have
had better luck than I. The rocky area where the bird was seen on Friday had
a small population of snowy plovers and western sandpipers hunkered down in
the rocks all afternoon, but little else was seen in this patch of rocks
aside from the ubiquitous black-necked stilts and american avocets. Around
mid-afternoon the flocks of peeps that had been flying hither and yon all
day mostly disappeared to an area too far north of the causeway to be seen
clearly had not returned by the time I left.

As a side note, the water levels have lowered significantly over the last
week. At the current rate of things, most water between MM 6 - MM 4 will
soon be too far from the road to see peeps with ease, if at all. Keep your
fingers crossed and hope for rain.

Lu Giddings

Tim Avery wrote:

> Here is the skinny on the CUSA.  About 20 or so birders were scouring
> the rocks between the first bridge and the large pile about a 1/2 mile
> west of the bridge looking for the bird.  Around 10:00 am most people
> dispersed to go to the Ranch or check for other birds.  Lu Giddings
> remained scanning each incoming and leaving flock of birds.  I was
> scanning a flock of peeps at the area a 1/2 mile west of the bridge,
> when I noticed a larger bird off and to the rear of the group.  I
> started to focus on the bird, as it stretched its wings, showing a white
> stripe on the wings and a white rump.  However, the bird immediately
> flew with the other 50 or so birds that took off.  AS the birds flew
> this individual remained a little above the group, with a different wing
> beat than thegroup of mostly Baird's Sandpiper, and 2 Pectoral
> Sandpiper.
>
> I cannot say for sure this was the bird, but only 2 possibilities are
> possible.  Either this was the CUSA, or another rarity, the White-rumped
> Sandpiper.  Again, I didn't get a good enough look at the bill to make
> the call. It's one of those 50/50 things.  Several hardy birders stuck
> around till about 3:45 scanning flocks before leaving.  Also seen along
> the causeway:
>
> 1 American Golden-Plover
> 46 Black-bellied Plover
> 4 Pectoral Sandpiper
> 5 Least Sandpiper
> 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper
> 11 Snowy Plover
> 2 Semipalmated Plover
> 100's Baird's Sandpiper
> 100's Western Sandpiper
> Willet
> American Avocet
> Black-necked Stilt
> Long-billed Curlew
> Spotted Sandpiper
> Wilson's Phalarope
> Red-necked Phalarope
>  (possible WHIMBREL, I have some interesting images)
> Prairie Falcon
> Northern Shoveler
> Gadwall
> American White Pelican
> Snowy Egret
> Double-crested Cormorant
> White-faced Ibis
> California Gull
> Ring-billed Gull
> Franklin's Gull
> Western Meadowlark
> Lark Sparrow
> House Sparrow
> Bank Swallow
> Barn Swallow
> Tree Swallow
> etc, etc, etc.....
>
> Shorebird numbers were back up today, in comparison to yesterday
> morning, and many birds were in closer on the northside between MM 4-5.
> Well I will keep heading back probably every otehr day this week, as new
> shorebirds are arriving daily, who knows what else could show up in an
> overnight turn over...
>
> Good Birding
>
> Tim
> http://www.timaverybirding.com
> Salt Lake City, UT or Wherever the Birds Take Me!
> _______________________________________________
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