Good Shorebirds on Sunday

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Charlie DeWitt:
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This picture was taken at the southeast corner of the Wastewater's east lagoon.  There were 4 Stilt Sandpipers there.  I also saw a pair of Horned Grebes in the same area.
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This is the same pair of Stilt Sandpipers.  In Cell #2 there were 6 Stilt Sandpipers, 1 Solitary Sandpiper and many peeps.
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After the Wastewater I went to the north pier at Grand Haven.  I had a few Sanderlings and right at sunset a flock of 6 Ruddy Turnstones came in.  It was too dark for pictures.
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Carolyn Weng:
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Here is the Wastewater Shorebird Survey conducted August 27 by Brian Johnson, Kathryn Mork and Carolyn Weng.  Note that the Buff-breasted Sandpiper was on the crud crust in Aerator 3 (middle aerator) and a White-rumped Sandpiper was in Aerator 5 (easternmost) among the Baird's Sandpipers.

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Muskegon Wastewater System, Muskegon, US-MI

Aug 27, 2011 4:20 PM - 8:50 PM
Protocol: Traveling
25.0 mile(s)

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Comments:  Temp 84-66 degrees F; NW 10 mph; 20%-10% cloud cover; Shallow flooding in basin D5; Lagoons high, muddy corners only; Aerators 1, 4 full; Aerator 2: 1/3 full with muddy shallow and heavy vegetation growth along shoreline obscuring views of shorebirds; Aerator 3: full with 1/8 surface with a crud crust used by feeding shorebirds; Aerator 5: 1/2 full, with muddy shoreline. In the south of Apple Ave. section the Clay Pond continues very high; crops prevent viewing the flooded field but the presence of shorebirds flying up from the area as well as Sandhill Cranes coming in to roost at dusk indicates some shallow flooding still present at the far east side of the field. Depressions in the field near the road have dried up. 

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13 species
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Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)  6   
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  2  
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  44  
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)  5  
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  41  
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  36  
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  19  
White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis)  1  
Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii)  20  
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)  6  
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)  5  
Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis)  1  
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)  1     

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