2007 and 2008 seemingly are producing Ohio's smallest shorebird numbers
in recent memory, especially at Ohio's 'natural' settings--i.e., leaving
out drawn-down reservoirs, construction sites, and Conneaut Harbor.
Without the quite natural flooding in limestone country, the pickings
would be awfully slim.
        Take dowitchers for example. Juvenile short-billeds should be passing
through now, but where are the reports? Mike Bolton's weekly surveys in
the NW marshes have produced a grand total of 170 SBDs up to 1 Aug this
year. Any at Winous Point, Tom?
        We don't expect long-billeds in spring, but thus far only one has been
reported this fall, by yrs truly last week (btw, this was identified by
a missing primary, molted basic coverts feathers, and bulky profile).
        The short-billed dowitchers migrating through Ohio are mostly of the L.
g. hendersoni "prairie" race. This most colorful subspecies, also the
easiest to confuse with long-billeds, is the most endangered dowitcher
form. In 2001 its world population was estimated at
only 60,000. In 2005, it looks like the estimate is ~27,500. See
http://www.fws.gov/shorebirdplan/Conservation.htm , and go to
"Biogeographic Shorebird Populations" for estimates of all N. Am.
species as of 2005.
        Even if we have to observe the fall migration from a distance, I
heartily recommend Jean Iron's reports from James Bay, maybe 700 mi
north of Conneaut. Read them at
http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/SHOR . Many of the birds she
reports are not headed our way, but southeast; still, it is a stirring
thing to hear these first-hand reports from wild country. The most
recent reports share many interesting observations. For one thing, a
good year for lemmings has led to increased breeding success for
shorebirds and waterfowl, because predators (foxes, gulls, jaegers,
etc.) eat fewer young birds as a result. She mentions studies showing
that migrant shorebirds are spending less time at staging areas--and
wasting precious energy flushing more often--as a result of increased
predation from peregrine falcons and merlins. It is tempting to blame
this threat to shorebirds in part to widespread introductions of
peregrines to areas they'd never occupied earlier, another example of
unanticipated results of ill-advised manipulations of bird populations
by wildlife agencies. (My opinion, not necessarily Jean's).
Fervently wishing you good shorebirding,
Bill Whan
Columbus



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