A bit early for triple digit plover numbers, I was hardly
  expecting 1000 plus. Birding the easternmost edge
  of the Big-Island/Killdeer Plains IBA complex with
  a bias toward the Big Island area this morning
  I scouted about 20 square miles of potential
  shorebird habitat (AKA agricultural fields). The
  vicinity of Big Island in particular looks promising
  with extensive flooding. I got a late start for a
  proper census of the golden-plovers as they are
  in the habit of leaving shortly after sunrise on SW
  winds. By 9:30 am I had found flocks of

  335
  ... at Irwin Shoots Rd and Upper Sandusky-Prospect Rd.
      (some of you may recall this area flooding regularly
  in the mid-90's attracting the likes of Wilson's and
  Red-necked Phalarope before re-tiling efforts a few years
  later left the area dry much of the time.

  410
   ... half mile N of Unit E of Big Island W.A.
  along Upper Sandusky-Prospect Rd.

  195
  ... at Herr Rd. wetlands (along with 75 Pectoral Sandpiper)

  90
  ... Groundhog Rd. wetlands
       This is the site of the control plot in the late 90's
      for the 3 years study of the Big Island wetland
      restoration effort. Locate to the SW 6 miles off
      Green Camp Rd (south and parallel La Rue-Prospect
      Rd. which runs along Unit B (Main wetlands) of
      Big Island. Birders should not be ignoring the
      extensive CRP lands to the south and southeast
      of BI, much of which remains flooded.

  None of these birds were re-located on a pass through
  at 12:30 to 1:00, nor were any along Washburn Rd.
  at Killdeer Plains (which was mostly dry).

  More on my 3 hr survey of Big Island W.A. proper
  in a separate note. Additional shorebird concentrations
  within the IBA were limited to 130 Pectoral Sandpipers
  in the wetand to the south of Unit B (Unit I ... I think).

  cheers

  Vic Fazio
  Tiffin, OH


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