[mou] new numbers for Buff-breasted Sandpiper (watch for banded birds)

[Robert_Russell at fws.gov]

New population estimates for North American shorebirds have been published.
The article is "Population estimates of North American shorebirds, 2006.
Wader Study Group Bull. 111: 67-85 by Morrison, R.I.G., McCaffrey,B.J.,
Gill, R.E., Skagen, S.K., Jones, S.L., Page, G.W., Gratto-Trevor, C.L., &
Andres, B.A.

Based on recent estimates by Joel Jorgensen of numbers of Buff-breasted
Sandpipers passing through the Rainwater Basin of Nebraska (spring) and
higher than previously reported numbers from the Gulf Coastal Plain of
Texas and Louisiana (spring), the authors conclude that a more realistic
estimate might be 30,000 birds or more--old estimate was 15,000 birds.

Other estimates that may of interest to Midwestern and southeastern birders
are:

American Golden-Plover   200,000 (old estimate 150,000)
Semipalmated Plover  150,000 (no change)
Wilson's Plover 6,000 (rarely mentioned as a candidate for listing as
threatened species)
Mountain Plover 12,500 (old estimate 9,000 and frequently mentioned as a
candidate for listing as a threatened species)
Killdeer 1,000,000
Solitary Sandpiper (both subspecies) 150.000 (old estimate 25,000 and I
still think they are low on this species but getting closer to reality)
Hudsonian Godwit  70,000 (old estimate 50,000)
Marbled Godwit 173,500 (Great Plains--170,000, James and Hudson Bays
pop.--1500, Alaskan Peninsula--pop. 2,000)
Sanderling 300,000 (no change but seems low)
Stilt Sandpiper--820,000 (old estimate 200,000)
Wilson's Phalarope 1.5 million (no change)
Red-necked Phalarope 2.5 million (no change)
Eskimo Curlew <50    Hmmmm--maybe rarer than Ivory-bills.  2 reports I know
of the last 10 years with some credibility.
Upland Sandpiper 350,000 (no change but the 1908 estimate for Illinois
alone was around 300,000--sadly ploughed a few prairies up since then)

Bob Russell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service


also of interest on buffies:
                                                                                          
 the following is borrowed from the Nebraska birding website:                             
                                                                                          
 Greetings Nebraska Birders-                                                              
                                                                                          
 As fall migration gets underway and you visit your favorite upland                       
 shorebird haunts, please keep your eyes peeled for any banded                            
 Buff-breasted Sandpipers. Buff-breasted Sandpipers were banded in                        
 Texas, Argentina and Uruguay last year through a project at Kansas                       
 State. This species has also been banded recently in Nebraska by Joel                    
 Jorgensen, John McCarty and LaReesa Wolfenbarger at the University of                    
 Nebraska, Omaha and in Brazil by Juliana Almeida at University of                        
 Nevada, Reno. If you happen across a Buff-breasted Sandpiper with leg                    
 bands please record as much information about the colors and locations                   
 of the bands and the bird as possible and forward on the information.                    
 Bands may be on the upper and lower portions of the leg and it is                        
 important to note the location of each color band in relation to the                     
 other.                                                                                   
                                                                                          
 Thank you in advance!                                                                    
 Khara Strum                                                                              
                                                                                          
 Graduate Research Assistant                                                              
 Kansas State University                                                                  
                                                                                          
                                                                                          
 Send banding reports to kmstrum at ksu.edu                                                  
                                                                                          
                                                                                          

Additionally, a graduate student is looking into chemical uptake of
Buff-breasted Sandpipers at sod farms and sewage treatment plants and a
recent research project looked at stopover sites for this species in North
America (to be published). Lots happening on this popular rare wind bird.
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