Subject: West Point
Date: Apr 7 20:08:58 2004
From: Don McVay - dmcvay at cmc.net
Hello Tweeters,
This afternoon between 2 and 4 PM we walked out to West Point and the
USCG lighthouse in Discovery Park. It was a warm and calm day with
obscure sun. The usual peeps were hopping around down through meadow
and the forested trail to the water, Savannah, White Crowned, and Song
Sparrows were singing. Many Spotted Towhees, Kinglets, and Northern
Flickers were hammering away.
On the very tip of the point west of the lighthouse there were flocks
of 50-60 Sanderlings and 20-30 Dunlin feeding on the tide flats. Also
on the point was a flock of 30 Brant swimming offshore or resting on
the beach. Occasionally the Brant would come up with beaks full of
bright green Ulva.
The waders seem to feed in concert, running and feeding south along the
beach and then flying in spectacular formation back to the point. On
the point they sometimes rested, but segregated themselves into
distinct groupings of their own species.
On the northern fresh water pond there were Northern Shovelers,
Gadwall, American Wigeons, Mallards and Bufflehead. Violet Green
Swallows were feeding over the pond. Out on the water a flock of
several hundred Western Grebes were floating about two hundred meters
offshore. There were 20 ?30 Red-necked Grebes mixed with the larger
flock. White-winged Scoters, several Double-crested Cormorants and
Hooded Mergansers were observed.
On the near shore a flock of 50 Mew Gulls were feeding with a few
Glaucous-winged Gulls. Crows were picking up what looked like some
type of mollusk, flying up and dropping them on the rocks below and
then feeding on the remains in the broken shells.
Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours.
We have a question about Point Pelee in Southern Ontario. Does anyone
have any experience with what birds to expect there in September? We
know that it the best time for the southern migration of raptors, but
what about passerines and other birds?
Don and Sandi McVay
Seattle
dmcvay at cmc.net