Subject: [Tweeters] Kent - Shorebirds, 204th and 200th
Date: May 8 17:11:58 2013
From: Carol & Lynn Schulz - carol.schulz50 at gmail.com


Hi Tweets:
North Kent: I headed to South Center this afternoon, and at 2:15pm stopped for a bit at S 204th. The sun was coming out, and the day was warming after a cool, cloudy morning. The big 204th pond has a lot more water in it now. A lady who lives down there told me a couple of days ago that the water in the field fluctuates w/ the height of water in the Green River. I drove slowly on 204th east from the mailboxes and saw 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, and 2 Least Sands near the road on the right (south). Using my vehicle as a blind I drove a little farther and observed 4 Dowitcher "species" close to the road in the pond to the north of 204th. Right now I think they may have been SHORT-billed Dowies. Quite unusual to rare down here. Haven't had time to check the books about them. Quite light underparts, tails had quite a bit of white, spots on sides of breasts, and when one took off it called a soft tu-tu rather than keek. Guess I gotta wade into Dennis Paulson's books... Wish I knew this stuff better... A Spotted Sandpiper flew calling at the north pond.
Over off of Orillia Rd, I turned east on S 200th, and immed. saw shorebirds in a little puddle just to the right (south) of 200th. Right next to the road. Had to park up at a barrier and walk back to see them. In it were a Greater and a Lesser Yellowlegs. Always a welcome comparison. Out in the big field there is another puddle, and a Greater Yellowlegs was in that. I turned north on So. Ctr. Pkway, and in about one block stopped at a barrier to view the puddle on the right side of the road. In it there were 6 Least Sandpipers.
Yours, Carol Schulz
Des Moines