Date: 5/1/25 9:54 pm From: Peter Metropulos via groups.io <pjmetrop...> Subject: [pen-bird] SHOREBIRD MIGRATION(Ruddy Turnstone,Red Knot,etc.
Since passerine migration and near-shore pelagics have been such a disappointment this Spring I have turned my attention to shorebirds in our baylands.For the past few weeks I have been monitoring the numbers of waders utilizing the SF Bay NWR restoration ponds south of Bedwell Bay Front Park.During high tide when mudflats along the bay are inundated shorebirds mass in these ponds for roosting and feeding.
On 4/8/25 an adult BALD EAGLE flew over the ponds heading east toward the bay.
On 4/12/25 numbers of LESSER YELLOWLEGS peaked at 16 individuals, all in breeding plumage.
On 4/25/25 a RED KNOT was roosting with Black-bellied Plovers and 2 breeding-plumaged RUDDY TURNSTONES were present as well.
Today,May 1, I counted 26 RED KNOTS, almost all of them sporting their "robin redbreast" breeding plumage. This is the highest total I've seen in SM County in at least 20 years. This species has declined alarmingly throughout its range in recent years. Fifty years ago local counts of 100+ in our baylands were not unusual.
Also today, one RUDDY TURNSTONE was present among the roosting Black-bellied Plovers. I tallied 440 of the plovers of which only 5% were in breeding plumage unlike the other shorebirds which were mostly in their fancy attire. Three SNOWY PLOVERS were in habitat suitable for nesting. One of these,a male, was wearing color bands which I was able to read and will find out where he was "ringed". Adding to the action was an immature PEREGRINE having fun scaring up the thousands of Western Sandpipers present.
