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The Daily Bucket - winter shorebirds [1]
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Date: 2025-02-13
February 2025
Salish Sea, Pacific Northwest
In spring and late summer/fall we get migratory shorebirds here in the islands of the Salish Sea, most commonly Western and Least sandpipers, plus sometimes a few others like dowitchers. In winter we’ll see Black Turnstones, and occasionally Greater Yellowlegs and Dunlin (the latter two much more common on the mainland). The most reliable shorebird sightings on my shorelines in winter, and in fact throughout the year, are Killdeer and Black oystercatchers.
Recent sightings on a local protected sandy beach —
The beach is the territory of this particular pair of oystercatchers. It’s a rich hunting ground so there’s always one pair who has ownership, guarding the beach from any other oystercatchers who come by (screaming at them and chasing them off). RAy and his series of mates owned the beach for many years, and after he passed on, a new pair claimed it. Neither birds of this pair is banded so I don’t know if they are the same ones from a few years ago but they might be, based on their hunting skill. Post-RAy, the new pair were not very good at catching and opening clams but the birds I’ve been seeing recently are fairly skilled. Not RAy level, but pretty good.
They were hunting on an ebb tide, at the edge of the water. Interestingly, they were mainly catching Manila clams or Native Littlenecks, which are harder to open than Purple Varnish clams.
Note in the video how they rinse sand off the clam meat before cutting it up to swallow. Also, they aren’t “hiding” their clams from our view behind those rocks as they hammer the shells open. Propping them against a hard object just makes it easier to break the clam shell.
Two minute video:
A week earlier, I happened to cross paths with a small flock of Dunlin who had stopped by to forage. Dunlin are only occasional out here because we have so few sandy beaches and mudflats. They are extremely numerous over on the Skagit flats, in flocks of thousands.
A few killdeer were hanging out with them. Both shorebirds skitter down the beach but they probe the sand differently. The beaks of species vary, so their prey and feeding methods do too.
Dunlin are feeding constantly when the tide is right. Killdeer feeding is more intermittent.
19 sec video:
All shorebirds move down the beach fast, finding what food there is at the moment and then moving along. At least the killdeer and oystercatchers don’t have to worry about packing on calories for migration. Our mixed shoreline habitat seems to provide enough year round.
Heading down to the other end of the beach
🌊
Still chilly today in the Pacific Northwest islands. Currently low 30s. Partly cloudy with a light NE breeze.
What’s up in nature in your neighborhood?
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