Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Richmond
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Aaron Maizlish
Birders,
Many thanks to Logan Kahle for getting the word out earlier. At least a dozen birders were able to see the bird this afternoon. Now that I’m back home I’ve been trying to catch up on some of that August shorebird-migration magic. This afternoon after leaving work I decided to check out the Richmond sewage ponds, formally the West County Wastewater District Treatment Plant. After signing in at the office I went off to survey the ponds and was disappointed with the lack of bird activity. In the second large pond (east of the office), there were just three distant medium-sized sandpipers with buffy breasts on the mud that caught my eye. I went back to my car to get the camera and was shocked to realize that I was looking at one BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER associating with two BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS. The three pipers were very mellow and cooperative for the two hours that I stayed on site -eventually joined by a third Baird’s Sandpiper and a small number of peeps. The Buff-breasted is a first year bird with crisp plumage, bright yellow legs and white edges on the wing feathers. I have put up six photos on my flickr feed starting here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/amaizlish/30383567858/ - I also included most of them on the eBird report. This was probably my most desired life-bird and it was quite exciting to stumble about it. According to Logan this is a first county record for Contra Costa County. I do not know if the WCWD is open on the weekends. You need to sign in at the office - the staff and workers are always extremely friendly to birders on the few times I have interacted with them. Aaron Maizlish San Francisco, CA
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