Trip Report by Thomas Plath

The dozen participants viewed a variety of shorebirds along the Boundary Bay foreshore on a very pleasant and productive evening. We arrived at the foot of 104^th Street to a low but rising tide with shorebirds far out along the water’s edge towards 96^th Street. We headed west stopping at the pilings for a scan. The large group of Black-bellied Plovers and peep far out along the water’s edge took flight and headed east towards 104^th Street and we decided to follow.

First we came across a nice small flock of juvenile Baird’s Sandpiper showing their nice scalloped upper parts. With them were a couple of Least Sandpipers for plumage and size comparison. When we reached the large shorebird flock consisting of a few hundred Black-bellied Plovers and a couple thousand peep (mainly Western Sandpipers) a thorough scan with the scopes revealed a few more species. A couple of Short-billed Dowitchers were busy probing the mud and in amongst the Western Sandpipers larger whiter peep were running about – basic plumaged Sanderling.

It took awhile but a Red Knot was finally found. Size and color gave its identity away being smaller than a Black-bellied Plover but significantly larger than other peep, with grey upper parts and white under parts. As the tide rose bringing the shorebirds closer a couple of other species were seen: first a few Semipalmated Plovers then a small group of Lesser Yellowlegs. Although the shorebirds were closer the light was diminishing so at 8 PM we called it a day.

Our eBird checklist recorded 19 species.