Caught the tide coming in yesterday (8/17) around 4pm at the Maulsby mudflats on the Everett waterfront and had a good shorebird day!
At first the tideline was out a bit and all I could see were some Black-bellied Plovers, Killdeers, and peeps out there. But there were some other mystery birds out there beyond binocular range so I did paperwork in the truck and waited for the tide to come in, and I'm glad I did.
As the water got closer the first mystery birds were revealed to be Semipalmated Plovers, AKA the Dwarf Killdeer. Always nice to see around here. But there was another mystery bird out there still, something larger than the peeps. Finally the tide pushed them close enough to ID - Bairds Sandpipers! They were mixed in with a bunch of Western Sandpipers and Dwarf Killdeers.
I've been avoiding Baird's Sandpipers for decades now, and they finally caught up with me right here on my home beach. Always nice when a life bird (or bug, or whatever) is delivered to your doorstep. They are quite interesting and beautiful birds. Got real close looks.
Here's my shore bird count;
Black-bellied Plover - 10+Killdeer - 9Semipalmated Plover - 20+Spotted Sandpiper - 1Baird's Sandpiper - 10+Western Sandpiper - scores.
Just for the record, the last Whimbrel I saw down at maulsby was about ten days ago. That made it about 2 months straight with Whimbrels in Everett this summer.
At home, just up the hill, them Collard Doves have really made the scene! I saw the first Collared Dove in my neighborhood last fall, just one bird. This summer I'm seeing them more often. Right now they are the current wake up alarm at my house, starting up early with their loud cooing. And they are loud. Out in my funky carport this morning, a dove was calling loudly nearby from the alley power lines, when another answered from the carport roof right over my head; not only could I hear it call, but the vibration of the cooing bird telegraphed through the roof as well - an interesting sound experience.
Jeff GibsonEverett Wa