Tag Archives: Shorebirds

American Golden-Plovers (and others), September 3, 2020

American Golden-Plover

American Golden-Plover (click to see the larger version)

We had a nice variety of shorebirds at Montrose Beach on September 3, highlighted by a pair of adult American Golden-Plovers, an adult Baird’s Sandpiper, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, and an American Avocet. The fluddle briefly reformed on the public beach after overnight rains, providing valuable habitat. These birds were probably moving ahead of a cold front expected to pass later in the day. Checking the beach throughout the day could pay off. More photos are at my eBird checklist for the morning, URL below.

eBird Checklist
September 3, 2020

American Avocets, September 1, 2020

American Avocets

American Avocets (click to see the larger version)

Continuing the uncommon shorebird theme from this summer, 2 American Avocets were on the public beach on September 1 (the public beach is the portion of the beach west of and outside the Dunes, which are fenced off and protected). These are the first American Avocets recorded at Montrose since late June. By September of 2019, we had 3 sightings, 2 in July and 1 in August.

On a related note, the fluddle has disappeared. The fluddle is the pool of water on the beach that shorebirds use for feeding and resting. Without the fluddle we won’t see as great a variety of shorebirds this fall. The good news is that the fluddle reforms after heavy rain or when strong northeast winds push water onto the beach.

For more information about shorebirds at Montrose, see the Shorebirds section of the What to See page.

Buff-breasted Sandpipers, August 27, 2020

Buff-breasted Sandpipers

Buff-breasted Sandpipers (click to see the larger version)

Two juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpipers have been hanging around Montrose Beach for a couple of days. I missed them on August 26, the day they appeared, but saw them on August 27. Buffies are one of the rarer and more sought-after shorebirds we get at Montrose. They always generate a lot of excitement in the birding community. They’re also usually tame and approachable, as the photo suggests. Link to my eBird checklist for the morning below.

eBird Checklist
August 27, 2020

Still More Summer Shorebirds

Piping Plover

Piping Plover (click to see the larger version)

Another good morning for shorebirds at Montrose Beach, August 21. The Red Knot and Willet continue in the fluddle on the public beach. Also, an unbanded juvenile Piping Plover made a brief appearance early in the morning, and a Pectoral Sandpiper came in and was still there when I left. Link to my eBird checklist for the morning below.

For more information about shorebirds at Montrose, see the Shorebirds section of the What to See page.

eBird Checklist
August 21, 2020

More Summer Shorebirds

Semipalmated Sandpipers

Semipalmated Sandpipers (click to see the larger version)

Shorebird activity is picking up. On August 19 I had a Willet, Red Knot, 6 Semipalmated Plovers, about 30 Semipalmated Sandpipers, and a Sanderling. The pool on the public beach we call the fluddle has been a hot spot and that’s where most of these shorebirds were. A Whimbrel was seen by others. Link to my eBird checklist for August 19 below.

eBird Checklist
August 19, 2020

Willets

Willet

Willet (click to see the larger version)

Willets are one of the earliest southbound migrant shorebirds we see in Chicago. Adults start to appear in late June and early July, followed by juveniles in August. Their migration is largely finished by Labor Day. This juvenile was wading in the pool of water on Montrose Beach we call Lake Montrose. August 2020.

Where was this bird born? The Dakotas? Canada? And where was it headed? Texas? Florida? The journeys of birds are extraordinary.

For more information about shorebirds at Montrose, see the Shorebirds section of the What to See page.