Subject: Iona July 15-99
Date: Jul 15 21:46:53 1999
From: Kris Klimko - kkalimo at direct.ca


Tweets,
Shorebirds are clearly on the move. Tonight we were able to see the following birds on their journey south from their tundra breeding grounds.

Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper (Adult alt plumaged)
Long-billed Dowitcher

Iona is indeed a wonderful place to conduct a shorebird ID learning workshop. The birds were less than 30 feet, 10m, from the shore. This close proximity afforded remarkable views of juvenile semipalmated sandpipers. We were lucky enough to look through one of those new fangled Kowa 823 scopes at the new born semi's 20 ft from shore. You could reliably count the feathers in the scaps. Immaculate feathering was clearly evident with beautiful reds edges of the scapulars.

A treat indeed to see these calidris sp. pushing through town.

The alt plumaged Stilt was a rare treat.

Ken
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