Once again, shorebirds were more abundant on Benton-Carroll road, just south of 2, than elsewhere along the lake.  I had a group of about 60 dunlin (FOY for me) and two or three were in nice breeding/alternate plumage.  Pectoral sandpipers and snipe were also abundant along with a few greater and lesser yellowlegs, killdeer, and one great egret (& kingfisher).  Not as many dabblers as last week, but a few green-winged teal, pintails, shovelers, and mallards were present.

The property owner came over and talked with me for a bit- great lady who said she loved birds and didn't mind all the birders.  She said her husband and her get a kick out of counting all the parked cars on a "good day." She was very proud of the bald eagle nest that she said is located in the woodlot behind the flooded fields (I did see one eagle flying around the area).

I tried for the previously reported A. golden plover on the road just south of Metzger, but no luck.  Although there were no less than 100 snipe in the wetland to the south (and my 60x could barely make out what appeared to be greater yellowlegs WAY in the back).  As I was scanning the area looking for plovers a large mixed flock of blackbirds landed in the trees behind me, making a ruckus.  When I finally stopped to check them out I noticed a female brewers blackbird mixed in! A nice surprise.

I'm off to Tucson next week; if anyone has any "can't miss" birding advice please e-mail me directly.  I really appreciated all the TX info that folks sent me in February- 160 birds in 3 days, I hope I can come close to that in AZ!

Happy spring birding!
Heather

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