>
>Al Jaramillo's comments about the intensity of sandpiper migration in
>Boundary Bay mirrors what I have heard elsewhere--that a lot of shorebirds
>were using the protected waters away from the outer coast in the Northwest
>this year. There were record numbers of Whimbrels in Skagit Co., WA, for
>example (>800 one day). From what I have heard and seen, it seems as if the
>numbers of shorebirds were exceptionally low on the outer coast, and,
>rather than this heralding the final apocalypse of the shorebirds, may mean
>only that the main migration push was elsewhere. Does anyone have any other
>information on this? We need to understand why birds go some places and not
>others, with spatial variation (moving of migration routes) surprisingly
>great, perhaps greater than temporal variation (migrating earlier or
>later). Is it wind direction? Bad weather vs. good? Amount of fresh water
>in wetlands? Coincidence of tidal cycles? Substantial changes in prey
>abundance in different places from year to year? The big question to me is
>always "how do the birds know where to go to find food?"
>
>Dennis Paulson
>dpaulson at ups.edu
>
>
>

Here on the north coast of Oregon the shorebird numbers have been greater
than normal with huge concentrations especially at high tide sites. Last
week there were nearly 1000 dowitcher in the cow pastures around Young's Bay.
Mixed flocks of Dunlin and Western Sandpipers averaging around 10000 at low
tide. What seem to be missing are Whimbrel and Black-Bellies. The main
movement here seems to be more concentrated, quick burst, big numberers over
a one or two day period.
Most of this occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday. We would have missed it
entirely had our students not been taking part in a West Coast study that
got them out into the field.



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Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR
mpatters at ednet1.osl.or.gov
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