Tag Archives: Willet

Whimbrels, Piping Plover, Hooded Warbler, and More, May 2, 2019

Piping Plover

Piping Plover (click to see the larger version)

Miserable weather often means fantastic birding at Montrose. Such was the case on May 2. The temperature never got out of the 40s, drizzle was a constant companion, and it started raining before I left. Parka and Polartec weather in May. I tallied 79 species in 3.5 hours, my best day of the spring so far, highlighted by 2 Whimbrels, 8 Willets, a Piping Plover, and 13 species of warblers, including Pine, Hooded, and Blue-winged. I also had a number of new birds for the year. Link to my eBird checklist for the day below.

eBird Checklist
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55669480

Montrose Unleashed, Part II, May 1, 2018

Franklin's Gull

Franklin’s Gull (click to see the larger version)

I took today off in anticipation of what I expected to be a great day of birding at Montrose Point in Chicago. It was fantastic, exceeding even my own optimistic expectations. The southwest winds brought in a ton of migrants – I’ve lost track of all the FOS’s I snatched up today. A review of eBird reports from Montrose shows about 125 species reported from about 20 submissions. This will probably go down as one of the best days this spring. My highlights include

Baird’s Sandpiper – Probably the same bird from yesterday. A very good spring bird for us.
Willet – 2
Franklin’s Gull – Older immature bird on the beach
All 6 regularly occurring swallows
All Catharus thrushes plus Wood Thrush. Excellent numbers of Swainson’s Thrushes.
19 species of warblers highlighted by Pine, Hooded, Blackpoll, Chestnut-sided, and Blackburnian
Grasshopper Sparrow – 1
Le Conte’s Sparrow – 1
Dickcissel – 1
Bobolink – 1
Orchard Oriole – 1
Rusty Blackbird – 1

I ended up with 102 species for the day, only the fourth time I’ve cracked the century mark at Montrose in the 30+ years of been birding the place.

eBird Checklist
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S45143092

Willets, August 14, 2017

Willet

Willet (click to see the larger version)

I went over to Montrose late this afternoon, August 14, to look for the Stilt Sandpipers seen earlier in the day. They must have flown off, but in their place I found 5 juvenile Willets in the fluddle at the west end of the beach. This fluddle has been very attractive to migrant shorebirds in the past. It’s disappearing fast and I imagine it will be completely gone in a few days without rain. I also had Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers. Here’s to a good soaking rain in the next few days.

Shorebirds (Still), June 10, 2016

Willet

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.