Saturday, August 3, 2013

Hawaiian Shirt Shorebird Safari 2013

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!