Post by Thomas Plath; Photographs by Harvey Dueck

Twelve participants enjoyed an overcast but warm evening studying shorebirds along the Boundary Bay dike between 104^th and 96^th Street. At the parking lot two adult Caspian Terns with a begging juvenile flew over to begin the birding. As we crested the dike we were looking at a high tide with no exposed mudflats.

Despite the absence of feeding habitat, shorebirds were present. Small groups of Black-bellied Plover and a few “peep” were roosting on dry, grassy tussocks and floating driftwood. Two Peregrine Falcons were seen including one observed stooping on flocks of shorebirds. No luck for the falcon this time.

Most swallow species leave early but a thorough search of Barn Swallows in late August and early September can produce one other species, the Bank Swallow. A few were seen zipping by; identified by their brown plumage, small size, squarish tail and if you are lucky the brown breast band.

As we neared the “pilings” half way towards 96^th Street more shorebirds were seen. First, a small flock of juvenile Western Sandpipers, a satisfactory look at a Least Sandpiper, and then scope views of juvenile Baird’s Sandpipers. At this time of year most of the shorebirds are juveniles with many of the adults having already passed through. A Spotted Sandpiper still with spots foraged along the mat of eelgrass along the dike edge. A careful scan of the shorebirds near the pilings produced a Dunlin with a broken foot, and roosting on the pilings with the Black-bellied Plovers a basic plumaged Ruddy Turnstone showing off its orangey legs. This was a very nice surprise and good ending to an evening of shorebirding.