Birding report: fledglings galore & some shorebirds head south
Baby birds take wing, shorebirds too
It’s nearly mid-summer and all binoculars are focused now on breeding activity. There’s a slight decrease in bird song now, while the number of juvenile birds – those recently fledged from nests – is sharply on the rise. Identifying these drab, streaky-plumaged birds can be quite difficult, even for experienced birders. Your best bet is often to watch and wait quietly for an adult to deliver food…
Meanwhile, some migration is already underway as a few shorebirds have begun their southbound trek from nesting areas in the boreal and arctic portions of Canada. The three most likely species this early in the year are least sandpiper, solitary sandpiper, and lesser yellowlegs.