[SBB] Red Knots, Least Terns & Black Skimmers

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All
 
This morning at the mouth of Stevens Creek Frank Vanslager and I saw four  
mostly alternate plumaged RED KNOTS.  The first REKN was located by  Frank at 
about 10:15 as he and I searched through many hundreds of  shorebirds for 
anything of note (REKN was a target  species).  Considering the distances involved 
It was  interesting to note how similar the Knots looked to  nearby LONG-BILLED 
DOWITCHERS as both species fed "Dowitcher  like" along the shore.  One either 
had to have a good side  view of the bird or have the bill in sight to make  
an identification.  We also located our first juvenile WESTERN  SANDPIPERS of 
the season.  Unfortunately we were unable to spot a  Semipalmated Sandpiper 
among the several hundred, mostly distant, Western  and LEAST SANDPIPERS.  Other 
species seen included dozens of  BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS (all plumage 
variations), many SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS,  LONG-BILLED CURLEW, MARBLED GODWIT and WILLET. 
 On the island in the  northwestern corner of Salt Pond B1 we had six BLACK 
SKIMMERS (three  pair?, possible nesting but no sign of young).  Snowy Egrets 
were  quickly driven off by the BLSK when they fed too near the island.  We 
also  had at least a half dozen LEAST TERNS (adults and juveniles) in B1.  I  saw 
one juvenile that was fed twice in a matter of minutes as it stood on a  
boardwalk in the pond.  Another 63 (high count) LETE were on the boardwalk  in 
Salt Pond A2E.  A note for those who wish to try for these birds: a  scope is a 
must (try to male it a good one) and one must catch the falling tide  of 
between about 5.6 feet and the mean tide level of about 4.3 feet (tide too  a high 
and the shore will be covered with water and there will be no birds,  tide too 
low and the birds will be too far away to properly ID).
 
Take care,
Bob Reiling
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