A SESA in my Hand!

I was nearly hyperventilating when I learned I would handle my first shorebird "catch". I've waited out numerous Sundays at the Field House hoping for such. The team works 24/7...... so Sundays are as low-key as possible..... and tourist disturbances discourage a "catch day".

This blustery Sunday afternoon the "walk-in traps" were set at a rising high tide for Semi-palmated Sandpipers a.k.a. SESA. I peered out the "conservatory" watching the team. By the body language alone I could tell this would take a while and the catch would be small.

At last 5 hapless SESA's foraged their way in to the burlap box; popping up and down like giant popcorn kernels. First outside the birds were "bled" for examination of bacteria. The physical measurements were taken inside at the " computer data lounge" despite the fact that an escaped bird would create utter havoc. Micrograms of chopped feathers destined for gas-chromatograph analysis could go up in "smoke" decimating 100's of hours of good data.

I sat next to Richard as he deftly handled and analyzed each bird. The SESA was trying to keep calm and was 100% aware. I was trying to keep calm!

Watching the SESA stuffed into his tube and then out again after weighing was comical.

Finally my moment arrived outside on the bay beach. I learned how to receive and "let go" my 25 gram charge of beating feathers. My SESA's took a second or two for their GPS to re-set and off they went with a date soon for Arctic arrival!

Red Knot Reunion

All year I live for the first sight of the returning Red Knots and their International Fans being the DNREC Shorebird Project Team.

When I walk into the field house immediately I pick up the excitement. Will it be high anxiety or happy exuberance?

Luckily the Red Knots are arriving in nice numbers so happy faces surrounded the breakfast meeting table. Last year it was 3 weeks of non-stop anxiety.

Out I went with the Netherlands' Red Knot PHD student Katrina and her adoring "Assistant" to survey Fowlers Beach and Primehook.

The six foot plus, gorgeous Katrina amazed me as she glided over the sand, on her shoulder perfectly balancing her $3,000.00 telescope. I trudged along trying to keep the scope from banging and bruising my arm!

Fowlers Beach Impoundment gave us a heart stopping view of 60 plus Black Skimmers neatly tucked into a sand bar. When we found the ~ 15 Red Knots tucked in between the usual sushi-eating-green-eggs-sumi-wrestler-comrades I broke into tears.

Shorebirds, how I have missed you!

Bayside: the Other Half of the story

Myself and the ocean: there is no separating the two. Yet, I am now discovering my "other half": The Bay!

Summer 2009 I did time at Cape Henlopen State Park, Bayside at The Point and explored : Slaughter Beach to Prime Hook. This Summer I am continuing the trend.

Bayside is contemplative gracing the eye with an ever changing rising or falling tide shoreline. A walk yields whelks, snails, and the oddest mollusk finds.

My newest find is Breckenbridge Beach, ~ 20 minutes North of Slaughter Beach. The long sandy and reedy beach, but not boggy, is very quiet and yielded up swimming turtles, Red Knots, American Oyster Catchers, and the seasonal mix of shorebirds.

Behind the beach the marsh is rife with Rails and Red Wing Blackbird calls.

Just now I "Googled" for this location and it came up empty handed! Is this a "Secret Beach" known only to locals?

Beach Blessings,

Red Knot Anxiety

I'm the Sunday Red Knot-Shore Bird project Volunteer. At the early AM meeting we filled out numerous volunteer sheets choosing the specific designation box : True Volunteer.

Volunteer-us Vera, my species name.

This is my second "migration" participating in the project, thus now I am getting familiar with the daily pace and goals.

The goal is : find a Red Knot, find a Red Knot, find a Red Knot.

The Red Knots are streaming into the DE Bay. The daily numbers are going parabolic but we are waiting, waiting, waiting for The BIG Day of Arrival! The arrival is en masse. 75% of the world's population shows up for the party.

The 20 or so Brits crossed The Pond for the party braving Icelandic Volcano Ash Plumes and endless flight hours, bringing with them their scopes and tripods, supplies of PG Tips Tea, Marmite, and bottles of whiskey.

Yet, as the morning meeting dispersed into our assignments I felt the tension. A happy tension. Anxiety. Happy Anxiety. Red Knot Anxiety!

I realized that I was anxious too!

When do they arrive? Where will they feed? Will the birds cooperate in feeding where they can be netted and banded?

Red Knots please read my email and know that the Horse Shoe Crabs are in abundance and so is the food.

Please arrive soonest!

Beach Blessings,