Chirps and Cheeps

Shorebirds are beginning to arrive! So far, on my recent travels, I've seen: Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpipers, a Solitary Sandpiper, and Upland Sandpipers.

My favorite of these shorebirds is the Upland Sandpiper.  Their bubbling call is incredible - a must-hear for every birder!  To listen to a recording, go here: Cornell Lab of Ornithology's recording of an Upland Sandpiper.

The Upland Sandpiper, related to curlews, is a rather tall sandpiper with a small dove-like head.  It needs a rather specific habitat of grassy fields.  This habitat is becoming scarce due to human encroachment and our insatiable need to mow and destroy every available bit of land that we can get our hands on. Therefore, the Upland Sandpiper is becoming more and more rare and is showing sharp population declines.

On a brighter note, while I was out looking for shorebirds, I found a Merlin zooming through the area on a hunt. Miraculously, I captured a photo of it and have it posted below.

Speaking of  neat bird calls, on this same outing, I also happened to hear the incredible chattering of a Brown Thrasher again. Wow - amazing sounds! I had the hardest time finding my first thrasher when I first started birding, but now that I'm tuned-in to their mimicry and repetitious chatter, I seem to find them most everywhere I go.