Shorebirds « Aleutian Outfitters

14SEP11_Second Common Sandpiper, Ruff, Stint

On September 15th, 2011 / Adak Island Birds, Alaska Birds, Asian rarities, General birding, Shorebirds / Leave a comment

Common Sandpiper_Sweeper Creek, Adak Alaska

Ruff at Clam Lagoon, Adak Alaska

Red Necked Stint_Clam Lagoon

Favorable West winds continue on Adak today with excellent results. Fall 2011 is by far the “best” fall I’ve had on Adak in terms of numbers and variety of shorebird species. What a treat. Our second Common Sandpiper was found this morning in Sweeper Creek and the first from yesterday was seen again on the Clam Lagoon seawall. Another new arrival for today was a Ruff at the Lagoon. The juvenile Red Necked Stint was still hanging out with 2 Western Sandpipers and every marsh I walked had Pectoral and Sharp Tailed Sandpipers in good numbers as well. Adding to all that was Wilson’s Snipe, Rock Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstones and a Baird’s Sandpiper.

13SEP11_Common Sandpiper, Little Stint, Slaty Backed Gull

On September 14th, 2011 / Adak Island Birds, Alaska Birds, Asian rarities, General birding, Shorebirds / Leave a comment

Common Sandpiper wings up

: Common Sandpiper on beach rocks

: Common Sandpiper in flight

What did I just say yesterday. 6 eyes are better than 2. Around lunch today Barb called me and said they had a Common Sandpiper at the Clam Lagoon Seawall. I rushed right over in pounding wind and rain and was able to find the bird after an hour of looking for it. I had seen it flush right away and land but then couldn’t find it for a bit. Seems it is really good at sneaking through the rocks. Since it was pouring rain all I got was binocular views so I didn’t get my camera wet. At the same time Frank and Barb first saw the COSA there was a small peep with it. Turns out that was a Little Stint. Everyone was happy with a lifer today.

Juvenile Little Stint

Yes you can see the rain in the Stint picture. After dinner the weather improved and I went back out and that is when I got the pictures of the Common Sandpiper. On the way home I found a Slaty Backed Gull also.

Slaty Backed Gull

12SEP11_Baird’s Sandpiper

On September 14th, 2011 / Adak Island Birds, Alaska Birds, General birding, Shorebirds / Leave a comment

Pectoral Sandpiper being goofy

: Juvenile Baird’s Sandpiper

The Shorebird migration continues to be great on Adak this fall. Lots of variety to keep us on our toes. Nothing too rare but this juv Baird’s Sandpiper was only my third for Adak. Still a strong showing of Pectoral Sandpipers and Sharp Tailed Sandpipers.

Frank and Barb Haas have arrived for another two weeks of birding so its great to have some extra eyes out there looking for birds. They photographed another juv Red Necked Stint with 3 Western Sandpipers today.

29AUG11_lots of shorebirds

On August 31st, 2011 / Adak Island Birds, Alaska Birds, Asian rarities, General birding, Shorebirds / Leave a comment

Juvenile Wood Sandpiper

Just a few shorebirds today. Didn’t see the Garganey again but most of the teal moved off of the Lagoon right now so I imagine he is with them.

A nine shorebird day is pretty good for Adak!

Wood Sandpiper_1

Sharp tailed Sandpiper_3

Pectoral Sandpiper_2

Western Sandpiper_3

Sanderling_33

Rock Sandpiper_1

Ruddy Turnstone_5

Semi palmated Plover_3

Black Oystercatcher_2

28AUG11_Garganey and Wood Sandpiper

On August 29th, 2011 / Adak Island Birds, Alaska Birds, Asian rarities, Shorebirds, Waterfowl / Leave a comment

Juvenile Wood Sandpiper

: Garganey and Aleutian Green Winged Teal flying together

These two birds were the highlight of the evening. Also at the lagoon was 33 Sanderlings, 3 Western Sandpipers, 3 Sharp Tailed Sandpipers and 2 Pectoral Sandpipers.

Quick update 07AUG11

On August 8th, 2011 / Adak Island Birds, Alaska Birds, Asian rarities, General birding, Shorebirds / Leave a comment

Juvenile Red Necked Stint

: Juvenile Red Necked Stint

I couldn’t decide which picture I liked better so what the heck I posted both! (-: I am sure this is the same RNST that I first saw with the Sanderlings on the 3rd. Other birds of note was a flock of 15 hen Common Eider and over 60 ducklings in the lagoon. The largest broods I have every seen here. A single juv. Red Necked Phalarope flushed out of the grass in the SW corner of the lagoon also. I heard a few Semipalmated Plovers calling up high flying but never actually saw any.

Mild weather and light West winds persist. Here’s to something cool dropping in.

The fall migration begins! 03AUG11

On August 4th, 2011 / Adak Island Birds, Alaska Birds, Asian rarities, General birding, Shorebirds / Leave a comment

Red Necked Stint

: Juvenile Red Necked Stint

Red Necked Stint with Sanderling

Juvenile Red Necked Stint flying with 10 Sanderlings

With a stiff West wind blowing tonight I decided to head out to the lagoon to see if anything of interest was around. I haven’t been out birding in several weeks. I found a flock of Sanderlings right away way out on the flats and noticed that one was a little on the small side. After grabbing my camera and walking out to the waters edge I discovered the little peep was actually a juvenile Red Necked Stint. This is really early for juveniles to be this far South already. I hope this is a good sign for the next few weeks.

Happy Birding!!

Adak update 20MAY11

On May 20th, 2011 / Adak Island Birds, Alaska Birds, Asian rarities, General birding, Passerines, Shorebirds / Leave a comment

Wood Sandpiper at Red Bluff Marsh

Male Snow Bunting

: Male Hawfinch at the NSGA “forest”

Whimbrel (N. p. variegatus)

Whimbrel (N. p. variegatus) landing in Contractor's Marsh

Whimbrel (N. p. variegatus) One of 6 in the flock

Whimbrel (N. p. variegatus) Siberian race with white back

Here is a pictoral highlight of the last week birding on Adak. The Hawfinch that I found at the National Forest stayed for a few days and then disappeared. Then on the 18th I found another one (or more likely the same one?) at the NSGA fire station. On the morning of the 20th I found a single Wood Sandpiper in the marsh at the Red Bluffs. That afternoon I was able to photograph 6 Whimbrel in Contractor’s Marsh. These Whimbrel clearly showed the white back of the N.p. variegatus Siberian subspecies. Thanks to Barb Haas for first locating the Whimbrel. Another bird of note was a single Short Eared Owl at Clam Lagoon.

13APR11_resident shorebirds

On April 15th, 2011 / Adak Island Birds, Alaska Birds, General birding, Shorebirds / Leave a comment

Rock Sandpiper (left) Sanderling (right) Whats in the middle??

Surprise!! I'm a Dunlin!

Dunlin and two Sanderlings

Sanderlings

Today the flock of Sanderlings was being very photogenic. I wish this Dunlin was banded because I would bet its been wintering here on Adak with the Sanderlings for the past 4 winters at least. Every winter I have one Dunlin and I have pictures each year of it that look identical.

As you might have noticed in the pictures both the Dunlin and Sanderlings are starting to break out of their drab winter plumage. If you look close you can see the bright rufous feathers coming out on the backs of them. Very shortly the Dunlin will start showing its black belly feathers too.

The Rock Sandpiper is a lot further along in the moult and that is probably due to them being non migratory. I have noticed males chasing each other and doing their displays already.

I was really hoping that the lone Red Knot that spent the winter here was in the flock but I didn’t see it. The last sighting was about a week ago.

Winter Red Knot_08DEC10

On December 8th, 2010 / Adak Island Birds, Alaska Birds, General birding, Shorebirds / 1 Comment

Red Knot, Sanderlings, Rock Sandpipers and Emperor Geese

Red Knot hiding with Emperor Geese

Please be a Great Knot....Not!! Bummer

Here is my bird of the day. My Second Red Knot for Adak and both have been winter birds. My first record was a single in this same spot on Clam Lagoon on 11JAN10. This bird could very well be the same bird back again for another winter. It was very interesting to watch the Red Knot feed right in with the flock of 150 Emperor Geese. And totally ignored the flock of 85 Sanderlings and 14 Rock Sandpipers. Even when the geese flushed the Knot followed the geese to the far side of the mudflat while the other shorebirds kept feeding.

As always with a Knot here on Adak one can get excited hoping for a Great Knot. I do anyway. (-: Try as I might I couldn’t come up with any features on this bird that leaned toward a Great Knot. Comments welcome if I have missed something.

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