MBSP sightings 23-Aug-2006

I spent a short time at MBSP this morning. First shorebird was a Buff-breasted Sandpiper feeding on the freshly tarred parking lot. What's up with that? A couple of Killdeer and the gulls seemed to be finding something pallatable in the parking lot as well. Here is the list:

1-Buff-breasted Sandpiper

1- Semipalmated Plover

3-Semipalmated Sandpipers

3- Sanderlings

1- Dunlin adult beginning to molt

Lots of Spotted Sandpipers and Killdeer that I did not count.

All of the above were on the Lake Erie beach except the Buff-breasted, which was later also seen in the grass stip between the beach and parking lot. In addition there were numerous Killdeer on the inland beach along with what appeared to be 3 more Semipalmated Sandpipers.

The bugs must have gotten stuck in the tar. At 7 am, I had the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, 2 Semipalmated Plovers, 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers and about 50 Bank Swallows all feeding off the fresh tar.