[EBB Sightings] ESSP Shorebirds

A few days ago Bob Battagin noted that we had no census scheduled at falling
tide late in April (peak shorebird migration time) at the EastShore State
Park.  So Bob, Dave Quady, Michael Butler and I decided to do an informal
check of the state of shorebirds at the park today.

We had 21 species of shorebirds, many in great numbers.  Among them were
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE and WANDERING TATTLER.  Other birds of interest
included an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER in the Berkeley Meadow, several LEAST
TERN in Emeryville and Albany, and a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON roosting in
willows in the meadow.  Three BLUE-WINGED TEAL continue in the NW corner
ponds.  Here's our shorebird list, all in the park:

Black-bellied Plover - some in beautiful alternate plumage
Semipalmated Plover - Albany Marine Reserve and Emeryville Marine Reserve
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher - Albany Bulb lagoon rocks and Marine reserve
Black-necked Stilt - Emeryville Marine Reserve - only 2 all day
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Wandering Tattler - 3 on the rocks surrounding the Albany bulb lagoon
Spotted Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Long-billed Curlew
Marbled Godwit
Black Turnstone
Sanderling
Western Sandpiper - about 3500 during the day
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin - all in alternate plumage 
Short-billed Dowitcher (by voice, in alternate plumage)
Long-billed Dowitcher in alternate plumage
Red-necked Phalarope - a pair in a small pond along the diagonal meadow
trail

Bob Lewis
Berkeley, CA
RLewis0727 at aol.com