Michael Price wrote:
>
> Hi Tweets,
>
> Gerald Hamilton writes:
>
> >Huge numbers of West. Sandpipers and Dunlin(it was very low tide!!!)
>
> Has this been a good winter for overwintering Western Sandpiper Calidris
> mauri at this location? "Huge numbers" would indicate migration, and that's
> at least five or six weeks away. Could they perhaps be Sanderling C. alba
> instead?
>
> >A parting question: What has happened to all of the
> >Ring-necked Ducks????? I used to see many, many of these particular
> >ducks, but have seen next to none the last 2 years.
>
> They're commoner in Vancouver BC during winters in which there's long
> periods of freezing to force them off their potholes, sloughs, ponds and
> slow river pools back in the Fraser Valley and out to open water such as
> Lost Lagoon, Ambleside Park's display pond and Burnaby Lake, all at or near
> the coast. Also, they begin to move around at this point in the later
> winter, leaving some usual spots and consolidating numbers (pre-migration
> staging) in others. Could something similar be happening there, Gerald?
>
> Michael Price A brave world, Sir,
> Vancouver BC Canada full of religion, knavery and change;
> mprice at mindlink.net we shall shortly see better days.
> Aphra Behn (1640-1689)
------------------------------

.......Perhaps"hugh" was overstating the facts. Western Sandpipers have
been commonly seen in the winter along the coast by me at S.W. Wash
ocean beach areas, but they are not 'abundant' by any means. This
species is rare in the winter inland where I live. I didn't notice any
Sanderlings the day I was there at Nisqually. (This does not mean that
they are 'not' present usually.)
.......Up to 2 years ago Ring-necked Ducks were see quite frequently at
Ridgefield NWR, and to a much lesser degree at Willapa NWR. This year I
haven't seen any (in fact Lesser Scaup, also quite abundant around here,
has been seen only a few times, with only a few present). Perhaps, like
you say, they have moved to other areas. Or even for some other obscure
reasons they have made themselves scarce.
.......Thanks for your imput. Reading other peoples opinions, especially
from those birders more experienced stimulates my mind. I am not
omnipotent, so occasionly I may stray or take a wrong road in my search
for truth.
......Have a good day, everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gerald Hamilton
Brush Prairie, Wash.
gerald at e-z.net