[mou] Birding along I-94 to Fargo

[Steve Weston]

Hi all,

Last week I posted a message about birding along I-94 and finding a mystery shorebird.  I wish to thank all who responded. I
agree with those who suggested a juvenile Silt Sandpiper.  It fit the description to a T, but the description did not
indicate why I did not consider the Silt Sandpiper: its legs were too short.  but, in retrospect, I realized it was walking
on pond scum, and thus was probably sinking in some.  Again thanks,

Steve Weston on Quigley Lake in Eagan
sweston2@comcast.net


> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve Weston" <sweston2@comcast.net>
> To: "Mou-net" <mou-net@cbs.umn.edu>; "mnbird" <mnbird@lists.mnbird.net>
> Sent: Saturday, August 21, 2004 2:17 AM
> Subject: [mou] Birding along I-94 to Fargo
>
>
> > Work sent me to Fargo today.  A beautiful day for a drive and time to stop
> and look at some shorebirds.
> >
> > Red-tailed hawks along the way out were all lighter than I am use to
> seeing in the cities, especially on their heads.  One
> > pair of hawks sitting on hay bails on the north side of I-94 just east of
> mile 118 near Osakis looked like Ferruginous, but
> > at 70+mph, all I could say for sure was that they were worth a second
> look.
> >
> > Stopped at Barnesville on the way back and checked out their very birdy
> sewerage ponds.  Found an unidentified sandpiper
> > (described below) that I studied a while and:
> > Red-necked Phalaropes (5)
> > Eared Grebe
> > good variety of ducks
> > At least eight varieties of shorebirds plus
> >
> > one unidentified sandpiper:
> > smaller than lesser yellowlegs, estimated size 7 to 9".   body shaped like
> yellowlegs, but yellow-green legs were shorter.
> > Bill was longish (~ 1.5 x length of head), dark,thick at base and slightly
> decurved.
> > Crown was rusty brown and streaked. Had a line through the eye.  wings
> (and back?) was rich brown and sculpted. Primaries
> > were dark with light edges.
> > neck and breast was a rich buffy color and essentially unstreaked,
> although there was some faint streaking down the sides.
> > Belly and under tail were white.
> > Tail and upper tail coverts were white, with a black terminal  smudge on
> tail, but might not be on all the tail feathers,
> > The tail is unique, and easily marks the bird as the target.
> > The bird does not match anything I can find.  Perhaps someone else will be
> able to look at it and recognize it.  In
> > retrospect I believe it is an aberrant.
> >
> > Steve Weston on Quigley Lake in Eagan
> > sweston2@comcast.net
> >
> >
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