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Posted by Angel & Mariel on 17:15:32 05/25/09
In Reply to: Crazy is as crazy does, or, how we became dis-sandploverless posted by Bill Boeringer
We had a great time with you and Linda, we admit to being a little bird crazy but enjoy life to the fullest. That is the way it is supposed to be right? We saw some life birds, year birds and one extraordinary shorebird! The Greater Sand-Plover was an incredible bird to see, observe and study. It was nice to be able to study the plover alongside it's western counterparts. Lots of other great birds were around for us all to see. Early in the day Bill had to go park the car at the designated parking area and the girls were with Tricia and Eagle Eye, a Baird's Sandpiper appeared out of nowhere and fed along side a Willet, several Red Knots, two Wilson's Plover and a couple of Turnstones. The Baird's was very nice and although it did not stay for long I noticed the bird was starting to show dark spots with light thin edges on it's scapulars. Bill made it back and helped me scan the flats for the Sand-Plover, after a thorough check of each bird one by one we came up with some really awesome birds but no Sand-Plover. While waiting for more birds to come in the Plover appeared, I called Mariel "the Sand-Plover is here, where are you" almost out of thin air the girls arrived jumping out of the back of the pick up armed with optics and camera equipment. We all got on the bird, enjoyed some incredible views and let out a sigh of relief. We had it right in front of us, after all the miles, driving all night, slipping into another dimension from time to time but we GOT IT! Bill put it best in his post; Nearly 800 miles, driving all night...just to see some stray central asian shorebird. I must be crazy. But if a Caspian Plover should show up in Pensacola tomorrow.... we would be first in line once again, ready to enjoy the excitement of a life bird in front of our eyes. We must be crazy or at least "birdcrazy".
We both picked up some life birds, enjoyed great company and were truly happy to have gone on this trip to see an awesome stray Asian shorebird.
Nature is Awesome
Angel & Mariel
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