Whimbrels at Columbia Beach

Least Sandpiper: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Hi birders,

The early birders went to Columbia Beach/French Creek. The morning was very windy, with the surf up and it did rain throughout the morning. The big highlight was the sighting of four Whimbrel flying past over the water near the parking area at Columbia Beach. We went to the Pebble Beach area and after spotting a flock of California Gulls, a large number of Black Turnstones we saw a flock of fifteen Whimbrel and one Short-billed Dowitcher fly into the shore and disappear into the rocks along the shore. After finding the Whimbrel,the Black-bellied Plovers and the Short-billed Dowitcher among the rocks we were able to identify the Short-billed Dowitcher. The Dowitcher is smaller than the Black-bellied Plovers which were there in large numbers feeding among the rocks. Lots of Killdeer, two Spotted Sandpipers, four Western Sandpipers and ten Least Sandpipers were at the pond along French Creek.

Six birders saw and heard the following thirty-four species of birds:
Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Common Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Spotted Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Black Turnstone
Sanderling
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Bonaparte's Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian Collared Dove
Rock Pigeon
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Purple Martin
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
White-crowned Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird

Good birding!
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia