If there were an avian CPS (Chick Protection Services), the shorebirds would be regarded as the worst parents imaginable. Most of these species breed in the far north arctic and sub-arctic during the short summer season. And, amazingly, the parents generally begin their migration away from the breeding grounds within a few days of their chicks hatching. The precocial young are on their own to catch enough food, avoid predators, grow their feathers and then fly south, depending on instinct rather than parental guidance.
Juvenile shorebirds migrate 4-6 weeks after the adults and depend entirely on instinct for flight direction. Some research suggests that they can sense magnetism and that assists flight patterns. Birders also look forward to the arrival of these juveniles with their fresh plumage.
But it’s adults’ departure from their breeding territories that marks the beginning of fall migration, and this can happen as early as mid-July. These birds migrate as singles or small flocks, frequently stopping at random marsh and shoreline feeding sites. July and August are favorite times for birders to search for these adult shorebirds. One of the favorite places to check are the sewage treatment ponds in Hoquiam and Ocean Shores, and the uncommon migrant Pectoral Sandpiper is often found at such sites.
Here in Thurston County, we also have good sites to see them. In the last week, two of these adult early migrants, a Whimbrel and Long-billed Curlew, showed up at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. According to the descriptions posted on the Washington Rare Bird Alert, these birds were identified as adults by their worn feathers.
Long-billed Curlews are unmistakable, and unforgettable. They are crow-sized and long-legged shorebirds with thin curved bills, by far the longest bills of any North American shorebird. That long bill is especially suitable for probing mudflats for small crabs and shellfish. Their bodies are sometimes described as football-like in shape, speckled and barred with brown markings and a cinnamon wash. Their heads are round and rather plain.
These birds breed in the interior grasslands of North America, including Eastern Washington, so the adult at Nisqually may not have flown all that far. Nevertheless, it’s a rare bird for our territory since they mainly winter on marine shore areas in California and further south.
The second Nisqually bird this week, the Whimbrel, is also a curlew-type bird with a curved bill. The bill, and the bird overall, is smaller than the Long-billed Curlew, but still large for a shorebird. It has three distinctive head stripes, a whitish one above the eye, an almost black stripe above the eye and another black stripe through the eye area.
Whimbrels are long-distance migrants, breeding in the far north of Alaska and Canada and wintering on marine shores from Washington south into Mexico. Many people report seeing whimbrels during their winter vacations to southern beaches.
There are also vagrants in fall and early winter in Washington that are Asian breeding birds whose migration signals are messed up, this time sending them southeast along the North American Pacific coast instead of southwest along their usual Asian Pacific coast.
August and September are exciting times for birders because of the chance to spot the odd vagrant – a bird that is off its typical migration path. There are over 20 species of Eastern Warblers that breed in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Each year a few get their migration signals wrong, and instead of flying south over the Gulf of Mexico to wintering territories, they fly southwest and end up in Washington. Serious birders search for these vagrants, hoping to find a new entry for their state bird species life list. You can follow their search on the Washington Rare Bird Alert.
In contrast with spring migration, when birds often concentrate in large flocks and migrate in a hurry, fall migration is a more leisurely event. Breeding birds disappear slowly and sometimes we barely notice until we realize we’re no longer hearing their songs.
During this month you likely will see swallows, who stick around to parent their young, in large mixed flocks, sitting on utility wires, especially near wetlands and other good feeding areas. These flocks will include young fledglings, which the parents may still be feeding. By mid-September, they too will be gone.
The birds don’t follow our calendar; they organize their migrations around day length. Thus, as days start getting shorter birds get ready for migration and, generally, initiate fall migration in the last half of summer.
So, get out your binoculars and watch for vagrants. And tune up your ears to listen for who’s still here, and which birds have already left town.
Avian Flu Alert – Cases of bird deaths from avian flu have been occurring in Washington. If you find a dead bird, or birds, do not touch them. There is some risk of this flu “jumping” to mammals, including humans. Please be cautious. If you encounter a significant number of dead wild birds, please contact the Avian Health Program, email avhealth@agr.wa.gov or call 360-902-1878 and report location details.
George Walter is environmental program manager at the Nisqually Indian Tribe’s natural resources department; he also has a 40+ year interest in bird watching. He may be reached at george@theJOLTnews.com
Photos for this column are provided by Liam Hutcheson, a 16-year-old Olympia area birder and avid photographer.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here