Undoubtedly, I've seen several new and exciting species over the yard as of yesterday evening, but none were identifiable.
Texts began coming from the southern end of the state at 6PM, "thousands of shorebirds lifting off". I got excited and was all set up a little after 7. However, a menacing line of thunderstorms was approaching. I had no clue what so many birds might do in the storm, but I was ready to find out! Sure enough, after 7:20 a flock appeared, about 200 birds, tremendously high (barely visible in 10X binoculars!), zipping east. As thunder rumbled overhead, more flocks appeared. Many were fleeing the storm and flying east, but a few flocks resolutely headed NW right into the teeth of the storm! These flocks sometimes looked like starling flocks, wheeling into tight balls before slipping back into a messy line. All too soon, I was forced inside by rain and lightning. As I watched from the kitchen window, flock after flock of shorebirds continued flying east, often unbelievably fast and high up. The real highlight came during the very heaviest rain, when about 100 birds actually flew south very low over my residential neighborhood!!! These were not peeps, almost certainly knots or turnstones. As the storms began to clear, a couple more flocks were seen, this time flying NW again. I also saw a single bird way up, circling and either a lone shorebird or even a tern. It soon disappeared.
I ended up with an estimate of 4200 shorebirds in just over a half hour. Simply stunning! I only wish I could have identified them, but I bet many of the thick flocks were Semipalmated Sandpipers and turnstones, with knots and others mixed in.
I think this show is over for the year, but this was the first year I was able to observe it right from the yard!
More akin to a Muscovy Duck I suspect.
