Mark and I led
our annual BBC Hawaiian Shirt Shorebird Safari on August 3rd.
We met our group at Morris Island at 8:00 AM and Rip Ryder had us on South
Beach by 8:30. Due to the
severe changes to the landscape, because of the past winter storms, Rip had to
drop us off at a location further south than our usual spot. It really is amazing how the South Beach landscape
has changed on since last year!
While we dodged
the rain, the wind was relentless but we still saw great shorebirds – many of
the birds sought cover behind tufts of grass to stay out of the wind.
Our day list included Black-bellied, Semipalmated, and Piping Plovers; American
Oystercatchers; Greater Yellowlegs; Willet; Whimbrel; Hudsonian and Marbled
Godwits; Ruddy Turnstone; Red Knot; Sanderling; Semipalmated, Least, and White-rumped
Sandpipers; Short-billed Dowitcher; and Roseate, Common, Least, and Black Terns!
