White-winged Scoters
American Golden-Plover (click to see the larger version)
I went over to Montrose late this afternoon, September 20, to look for the juvenile American Golden-Plover reported earlier in the day. I found the bird at the west end of the beach, standing and walking among beachgoers. It seemed content, despite all the people using the beach. American Golden-Plovers are uncommon but regular fall visitors to Montrose.
Black-bellied Plover (click to see the larger version)
Montrose was pretty good this morning, September 17. I ended up with 58 species in about 4 hours of birding the Point. Swainson’s Thrushes and Palm Warblers were the most obvious, but the 8 – 10 Nelson’s Sparrows were the highlight for me. All these birds were in the Dunes and most were in the western panne. These are the first Nelson’s Sparrows I’ve seen at Montrose this fall. When it rains it pours I guess. Other goodies include a flyover American Golden-Plover, Merlin, several Bobolinks, Dickcissel, Marsh Wren, and a variety of warblers.
eBird Checklist
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31620618
White-rumped Sandpiper (click to see the larger version)
I had a molting adult White-rumped Sandpiper at Montrose Beach late this afternoon, September 7. The bird was in the fluddle at the west end of the beach with a group of other shorebirds – Sanderlings, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, and Semipalmated Plovers. White-rumped Sandpipers are rare at Montrose in the fall.
Red Knot and Stilt Sandpiper (click to see the larger version)
A nice group of shorebirds were working the fluddle at the far west end of Montrose Beach late this afternoon, August 25, including a juvenile Red Knot and a juvenile Stilt Sandpiper. Also present were Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers. Red Knot and Stilt Sandpiper are rare but regular migrants at Montrose.
Baird’s Sandpiper (click to see the larger version)
A juvenile Baird’s Sandpiper was at Montrose Beach this morning, August 14. This is my first Baird’s of the season. My best bird however was a Cattle Egret mixed in with a group of 17 Great Egrets that flew over. Cattle Egrets are rare at Montrose.
eBird Checklist
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31095437
Willet (click to see the larger version)
A juvenile Willet was at the east end of Montrose Beach late this afternoon, August 9. For a variety of reasons this has been a slow summer for migrant shorebirds at Montrose, so seeing this bird was a nice surprise.