WSR Alive With Shorebirds

I made a few passes by one of the islands Important Birding Areas and first shorebird sanctuary, Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge (WSR),  Like most of the wet areas that depend heavily on rainfall, it was suffering badly.  With the constant rains, we have been having over the last few days, that wetland is slowly coming alive.

After the day of rain on Monday 17th,  it was about 20 - 30% full but more importantly, it had attracted shorebirds, lots of them.   The numbers varied somewhat over the visits but in total  10 species of shorebirds were seen there thus far.

Here are the shorebirds recorded:

Pectoral Sandpiper @ WSR

1. Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
2. Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)
3. Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
4. Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)
5. Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)
6. Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)
7. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
8. Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)
9. Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)
10. Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)

I am excited at seeing one of my favorite birding locations coming alive with birds, especially shorebirds. Knowing the present dangers that these small birds face during migration it is heartwarming to see them at this oasis of safety.