Checked out the north end of Hoover Reservoir for shorebirds.  Saw the
following from the boardwalk at area M in Galena:

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) -- didn't notice any greater, although
probably some around
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) -- just one
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) -- one calling at the nature preserve on
Big Walnut Rd

Many of the same birds were feeding at a nice mudflat just across the road
from the parking lot at the Baldridge boat ramp.  This area was especially
good for pectoral sandpipers; at least 25 were feeding there.

The pecs exhibited a behavior that I don't recall seeing before with
shorebirds, at least not in the fall.  There were frequent interactions in
which one bird would lower its head (assuming what appeared to be an
aggressive posture), partially open its wings, and run a few steps toward
another pec.  The overall effect was quite similar to aggressive
interactions among Canada geese.  I might expect something of this sort in
the spring among males, but I was surprised to see it post-breeding.  The
area did not seem all that crowded, the interactions were brief (a couple of
seconds), and the targets of the aggression did not seemed greatly
concerned, as they simply moved a few steps back or to the side and resumed
feeding.  I had the impression that a few birds were responsible for all of
the aggression that I saw, although it was difficult to track them as they
wandered about.

--
Bill Heck

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