Showing posts with label collared dove. Show all posts
Showing posts with label collared dove. Show all posts

Tuesday, 20 July 2010

Morning glory

Went down to Holden Creek this morning for a pre-work wander.
The first bird I noticed, as I was putting my wellies on, was a collared dove sat up on an exposed bare branch in a nearby tree. First I've seen at this site.
As I walked down the path to the creek, I noticed with dismay that there were no waders visible in the channel. As I drew up to the main creek, I couldn't see a single shorebird feeding on the muddy edges.
I trundled up the bank and crossed the creek at the usual spot scanning the pools on the saltmarsh. Nothing.
I headed toward the pylon 'island', from where I usually scan the area, and flushed several least sandpipers from the pickleweed. At last - some waders!
When I got to a spot where I could actually see the back pool I was absolutely amazed - it was crawling with birds. Unfortunately, time wasn't entirely on my side but in the next twenty or so minutes I was able to determine that there were 9 lesser yellowlegs, 3 greater yellowlegs, 5 pectoral sandpiper (of which 2 were males), 5 dowitchers (3 long-billed and 2 short-billed, I think...), 1 killdeer and approximately 80 least sandpiper. Surprisingly, there were no other small calidrids that I could see.
The tide times meant that a post work visit was pointless, so I have no evening comparison.
Anyway, below is a very poor vid that at least shows the level of activity!