ML124795081

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

LIFER #995, 3:32 PM. Continuing 2nd state record originally found by Alan Ryff and Maggie Jewett on November 2 and rediscovered through exceptional detective work by Adam Byrne and Scott Terry the following day. Having left Baltimore at 3:30 AM, I was relieved to see early reports of the bird being present for a sixth day. I made one birding stop early in the morning near Cleveland, and had considered trying for a Franklin’s Gull in northeast Ohio but eventually (and fortuitously) decided that would be pushing it timewise. I made a detour for my lifer Whooping Crane in Lenawee County, then booked it on backroads to the intersection. Having not really studied the site in satellite view, I was surprised to see a somewhat busy intersection and genuine ponds, not flooded fields, at three of the four corners. There were a few birders on southern Parker Rd. and a few more looking north on the east side of Scio Church Rd., so I parked on Scio. Frederick Ruckersfeldt told me that the bird had just been seen and had flown to the north end of the northeastern pond out of sight. As I settled in to wait, I also noticed that I was severely underdressed for Michigan weather; while it was only 36 degrees, it was quite windy. After about five minutes of waiting (and being shown the sleeping snipe) Frederick called out that he had it sight from the northeast pond’s corner along the back shore. I first saw it 3:32 PM, noting primarily that it was darker and dingier than the yellowlegs. Fortunately, it and two yellowlegs then flew closer; while it primarily foraged in water up to its belly (deeper than the yellowlegs), it occasionally moved to shallower waters, permitting the four of us to see its distinctive red legs. It was then that my scope, having been glued to its base following its misadventure at the Black-tailed Godwit, gave up the ghost and fell off again, nearly rolling into the pond and making me primarily use binoculars and other people’s scopes. The redshank continued foraging in this deep water for twenty or so minutes (see last two pictures); then it took flight and circled the ponds, showing off the white patch on its back, before settling much closer in the southeast pond. Most of my pictures are from this vantagepoint; while the day was unfortunately overcast, it did provide excellent views from Parker Rd. Eventually the redshank flew back to the northeastern pond, and after checking in on it one last time I took my leave satisfied. About five minutes after I left, the redshank took flight with six yellowlegs and left the area. While it had apparently left the spot before, this time it did not return; I’m very glad I did not try for the Franklin’s Gull in Ohio. Michigan #100. http://blog.aba.org/2018/11/abarare-spotted-redshank-michigan.html http://jerryjourdan.blogspot.com/2018/11/spotted-redshank-in-michigan-04-nov-2018.html

Technical information

Model

COOLPIX L830

ISO

400

Focal length

136 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/5.9

Shutter speed

1/125 sec

Dimensions

1320 pixels x 990 pixels

Original file size

206.47 KB