White-winged Scoters
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.
Willet (click to see the larger version)
Shorebirds are still moving through northern Illinois. This morning, June 10, I had a Willet, a Dunlin, 8 Semipalmated Sandpipers, a Least Sandpiper, a White-rumped Sandpiper, and 3 Semipalmated Plovers in the fluddle at Montrose Beach in Chicago. The Chicago Park District is draining the fluddle so it may not be around much longer.
When it comes to migration the fat lady never sings.
White-rumped and Semipalmated Sandpipers (click to see the larger version)
I had a nice collection of shorebirds at Montrose Beach this afternoon, June 1, including 3 White-rumped Sandpipers, 4 Semipalmated Sandpipers, a Dunlin, and 2 Semipalmated Plovers. All of these birds were in the fluddle, just west of the beach house.
Just because it’s June doesn’t mean migration has stopped.
White-rumped Sandpiper (click to see the larger version)
A quick walk around Montrose this morning, May 13, yielded a few goodies, including a White-rumped Sandpiper, 2 Short-billed Dowitchers, and a latish Merlin.
The Curve-billed Thrasher was obviously the big story at Montrose today but there were a few other birds of interest. Late this afternoon I had 6 Semipalmated and 1 White-rumped Sandpiper inside the protected area at the east end of the beach. This might be the latest spring White-rumped I’ve ever seen. Also, the continuing female Red-breasted Merganser was inside the harbor.
White-rumped Sandpiper (click to see the larger version)
In addition to a Willet, there were a couple White-rumped Sandpipers on Montrose Beach on my May 8 Big Day. The shorebirds I saw in the afternoon pushed my total to 103. White-rumped Sandpipers are uncommon but regular, mostly spring visitors to Montrose Beach. This bird posed obligingly while I took its photo.