Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Gotta Love Those Sewage Lagoons: Spring Shorebird Report

Short-billed Dowitcher at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 125

Although last year I had a wonderful Fall of shorebirding at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center in Woodford County, IL and Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds a few miles down the road in McLean County, this was my first Spring of shorebirding at these sewage lagoons. If I had gone last Spring, my car would have probably gotten stuck because it was so wet and muddy.

Unfortunately, it was difficult to bird at both locations this Spring because of renovations being done at each location. For Gridley, this meant a lot of workers and machines that seemed to scare most of the shorebirds away. For the larger facility at El Paso, the shorebirds did not seem to mind the activity and hung around. The problem at El Paso was that someone stole some of the equipment they had laying around for the renovations, and the workers responded by locking the gate at about 3:00 p.m. every day to protect the town's property. I know I missed at least four species this Spring partly as a result of this access issue--Willet, Marbled Godwit, Wilson's Phalarope, Baird's Sandpiper. All four of these species were seen at El Paso this Spring by Ted Hartzler. Two of these birds would have been lifers if I had seen them. The thieves not only stole the equipment. They stole a birding experience from me. I'm sure Hartzler would have picked up a few more species as well had the gates not been locked every evening. I'm hoping things will eventually return to normal at both locations so that Fall shorebirding will be good.

Although I saw common shorebirds at both locations in mid-March, I will begin this report with April 2. The only shorebird I photographed that day was this Pectoral Sandpiper at Gridley.

Pectoral Sandpiper at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 01

However, I did stumble upon a small group of Lesser Scaups.

Lesser Scaup at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 05

Lesser Scaup at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 07

Also present at Gridley was this Snow X Ross's Goose Hybrid, which I had seen there previously. As you will soon see, this is its good side.

Snow X Ross's Goose Hybrid at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 01

During April Vesper Sparrows hung out on rocks on the edges of the ponds and on the roads around the ponds, but they would not allow a close enough approach for photography. I did get close enough to this one less than a mile down the road from the ponds.

Vesper Sparrow in Gridley, IL 02

When I returned to the ponds in Gridley on April 11, I saw the bad side of the hybrid goose. This guy's eye looks badly infected, if he even had an eye. At time it appeared his eye had been plucked out of its socket.

Snow X Ross's Goose Hybrid at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 03

Then on April 16, I saw a couple of Wilson's Snipes at Gridley.

Wilson's Snipe at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 16

Also present were about ten yellowlegs, and the injured hybrid goose.

Yellowlegs at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 01

On April 17, my only shorebird at Gridley was Killdeer, but I saw my first of the year American Pipits. These little artic nesters, which often feed in the mud alongside the shorebirds, have become one of my favorite birds to see at the sewage ponds. They come through early in the Spring and late in the Fall, and are much easier to see when they come to the ponds than they are out in the fields. They usually pose nicely on the rocks. I saw this pipit the next day at Gridley.

American Pipit at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 01

American Pipit at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 07

On April 20, I saw one Spotted and one Pectoral Sandpiper at Gridley, and I saw the following shorebirds at El Paso.

Solitary Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 25
Least Sandpiper 1
Pectoral Sandpiper 12
Wilson's Snipe 1

Lesser Yellowlegs at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 02

This was the day that Matt Fraker had thought he had seen a Western Sandpiper, but had actually seen a Dunlin instead. Matt was there when I arrived looking for the Marbled Godwit that Ted Hartzler had seen the previous day. He told me where the alleged Western Sandpiper was, but when I drove to the Northeast lagoon, a few of the birds flushed in spite of my slow approach, and the bird which eventually became known as a Dunlin was not still remaining among the rest of the birds on the ground.

The shorebirds were on the move in increasing numbers, but so were the swallows, and they were a little easier to photograph that day from where they were sitting on the rocks.

Tree Swallow at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 01

Barn Swallow at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 02

Barn Swallow at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 07

On April 24, I had a Pectoral Sandpiper and this American Pipit at Gridley.

American Pipit at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 19

I also enjoyed photographing this Savannah Sparrow. The Savannah Sparrows were more numerous than the Vesper Sparrows at the Gridley ponds in April, and they are easier to photograph from the car because they remain on the rocks next to the water, allowing a closer approach.

Savannah Sparrow at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 04

Savannah Sparrow at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 06

Savannah Sparrow at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds 07

I finally had a Spotted Sandpiper at El Paso on April 27. Then on Monday, April 30, Ted Hartzler had 50 Willets and 21 Long-billed Dowitchers, but it was very rainy for several days, which would mean mud and possibly getting stuck since I drive a Hyundai Sonata. Furthermore, I was busy at work and they had already started closing the gate early. I did not get to the lagoons until Thursday, May 3.

When I did, the Long-billed Dowitchers and Willets were gone, but there were plenty of shorebirds present, and no time for photographing swallows. Below are the shorebirds I saw that day

Killdeer 2
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 4
Lesser Yellowlegs 60
Pectoral Sandpiper 4
Dunlin 2
Short-billed Dowitcher 9

Here is a mixed flock of Short-billed Dowitchers and Lesser Yellowlegs.

Short-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 07

And here are most of the Short-billed Dowitchers with the two Dunlin.

Short-billed Dowitcher and Dunlin at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 27

I could not help but find it humorous when this little Solitary Sandpiper awkwardly walked in front of the more graceful dowitchers.

Short-billed Dowitcher and Solitary Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 04

Only a few minutes later, the dowitchers were dwarfed in height by two Greater Yellowlegs, which towered over them as they high-stepped onto the scene.

Short-billed Dowitcher and Greater Yellowlegs at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 02

Greater Yellowlegs at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 11

Greater Yellowlegs at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 09

On May 4, I returned to El Paso very briefly, and finally saw a couple of Long-billed Dowitchers amongst the Short-billeds.

Long-billed and Short-billed Dowitchers at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center

When I returned on May 8, the shorebirds had thinned out quite a bit. The only shorebirds I saw were Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and Solitary and Spotted Sandpipers, but I did have a new Woodford County bird that day. Three male Bobolinks were foraging in the grass just North of the lagoons.

Bobolink at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 09

There were also at least three Savannah Sparrows present near the North lagoons, and the most elegant American Coot I have ever seen.

Savannah Sparrow at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 01

American Coot at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 01

On May 10, there were yellowlegs everywhere at El Paso. Below are photos of the yellowlegs, a Pectoral Sandpiper, and a Solitary Sandpiper I photographed.

Yellowlegs at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 05

Pectoral Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 01

Solitary Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 01

The Bobolinks were still around as well.

Bobolink at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 16

And there was a new group of dowitchers--probably 10-15 on the rocks on the West side of the middle lagoon. At the time, I thought these were all Short-billed, but now I am not certain. Feel free to share your thoughts if you agree or disagree. These birds allowed an amazingly close approach while I was viewing them from my car.

Short-billed Dowitcher at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 46

Short-billed Dowitcher at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 120

Short-billed Dowitcher at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 48

Short-billed Dowitcher at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 49

Short-billed Dowitcher at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 51

Short-billed Dowitcher at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 72

Short-billed Dowitcher at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 93

Short-billed Dowitcher at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 118

Short-billed Dowitcher at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 127

Short-billed Dowitcher at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 167

There were also a few Pectoral and Least Sandpipers mixed in with the dowitchers.

Pectoral Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 03

Least Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 01

The next day, most of the dowitchers were gone, but there were still quite a few yellowlegs, Pecs, and Least Sandpipers. I felt so bad for this poor Lesser Yellowlegs. I did not think it would be able to eat with the bottom half of its bill broken. I wonder how this happened. It looks so sad.

Lesser Yellowlegs at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 13

Don't be fooled by the lighting! Both of these Least Sandpipers had yellow legs.

Least Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 07

When I returned on May 14, I saw a nice variety of shorebirds and enjoyed my best looks ever at Semipalmated Plovers. Below is the list of shorebirds I saw and some photos of the plovers.

Semipalmated Plover 3
Killdeer 6
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Least Sandpiper 11
Pectoral Sandpiper 5
Short-billed Dowitcher 2

Semipalmated Plover at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 08

Semipalmated Plover at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 14

Semipalmated Plover at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 15

I had seen few shorebirds at Gridley in May because of all of the renovations going on there, but I did see this Spotted Sandpiper there on May 15.

Spotted Sandpiper at Gridley Wastewater Treatment Ponds

On May 16, I found this Snapping Turtle on the road beside the sewage facility in El Paso. I picked it up and moved it off the road so that it would not get run over. This made a lady, who had stopped her van on the road out of concern for this turtle, very happy.

Snapping Turtle at El Paso Sewage Treatment Ponds 01

Ted Hartzler saw a White-rumped Sandpiper the same day, but I was only there a short time after moving the turtle, and I did not see it. The next day I saw more Semipalmated Plovers, but I missed the Wilson's Phalarope that Hartzler saw. I had missed what could have been two new Woodford County birds in two days.

Semipalmated Plover at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 20

Semipalmated Plover at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 21

I did not return to El Paso for a couple of weeks, and I missed Baird's Sandpiper, which was reported by Hartzler on May 25. But hoping to add a couple more for the Spring, I checked my records from last year and noticed that I had seen a good-sized group of White-rumped and Semipalmated Sandpipers just a few miles from El Paso in Livingston County on May 30, 2011. So I checked El Paso on May 30, thinking I might find my first of the year White-rumped and Semipalmated Sandpipers, and like clock-work, I did.

Here is my shorebird list from the May 30.

Semipalmated Plover 3
Killdeer 8
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper 25
White-rumped Sandpiper 1

Here are some shots of the Semipalmated Sandpipers. In some of these shots, you can see why these birds are called semipalmated. Notice their partially webbed feet! Notice also the variations in plumage and posture.

Semipalmated Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 19

Semipalmated Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 23

Semipalmated Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 28

Semipalmated Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 39

Semipalmated Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 42

Semipalmated Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 34

Here are a couple of shots of the Semipalmated Plovers including a shot of one with its partially webbed feet showing.

Semipalmated Plover at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 34

Semipalmated Plover at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 36

I stopped to photograph a group of Semipalmated Sandpipers and found this beautiful White-rumped Sandpiper hiding behind them in the rocks by the Northeast lagoon.

Semipalmated and White-rumped Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 04

Semipalmated and White-rumped Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 07

And finally, here are some more shots of the White-rumped by itself--no webbed feet on this bird.

White-rumped Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 08

White-rumped Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 36

White-rumped Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 41

White-rumped Sandpiper at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center 57

I did not visit Gridley very often this Spring because it became so dead, and I did not get out to El Paso as often as I wanted to because it was locked up in the evenings, but I still had a nice variety of shorebirds at El Paso. Below is a list of the shorebirds I saw at El Paso this Spring, including two new Woodford County birds for me--Dunlin and Long-billed Dowitcher.

1. Semipalmated Plover
2. Killdeer
3. Spotted Sandpiper
4. Solitary Sandpiper
5. Greater Yellowlegs
6. Lesser Yellowlegs
7. Semipalmated Sandpiper
8. Least Sandpiper
9. White-rumped Sandpiper
10. Pectoral Sandpiper
11. Dunlin
12. Short-billed Dowitcher
13. Long-billed Dowitcher
14. Wilson's Snipe

Below is a list of other shorebird species seen at El Paso that I missed.

1. Willet
2. Marbled Godwit
3. Wilson's Phalarope
4. Baird's Sandpiper

And finally a list of the few shorebird species I saw at Gridley . . .

1. Killdeer
2. Spotted Sandpiper
3. Solitary Sandpiper
4. Greater Yellowlegs
5. Lesser Yellowlegs
6. Pectoral Sandpiper
7. Wilson's Snipe

I hope to pick up Marbled Godwit and a few other shorebirds in Florida next week, and I hope to find some new species at El Paso and Gridley this Fall. Migrating shorebirds begin showing up in late July. So stay posted to find out what the Fall migration brings!

Written and published on June 24, 2012