Date: 7/13/25 3:08 pm From: Nick Lethaby via groups.io <nlethaby...> Subject: Re: [sbcobirding] Coal Oil Point Shorebird report, July 13
I am noticing that the large shorebirds and the Black Turnstone seem to be all guzzling sand crabs. I suspect that the sand crab population has cycled up and is accounting for the large number of curlews, etc. hanging around.
If sand crabs really are much commoner this year, that might explain why the birds are not using the rocky areas so much. The small shorebirds seem to be preferring Devereux for now, but that will likely change in a couple of week once it further dried out.
Nick Lethaby Goleta, CA <nlethaby...> +1 805 284 6200
On Sunday, July 13th, 2025 at 2:23 PM, Florence Sanchez via groups.io <sanchezucsb11...> wrote:
> Pretty much the same scene as yesterday, except that I found some Western Sandpipers (8) this morning after they did a bunk on me yesterday. They were hanging out with 4 Least Sandpipers very far west along the beach. Numbers of large shorebirds were about what they have been. The Heerman's Gull flock was still present, but down to about 130 birds. With them were two Royal Terns. > > It is interesting that so far this migration year, the birds are not using the exposed reef at low tide very much. In past years, I usually find a lot of small shorebirds (and some larger ones) foraging in the various pools and crevices. > > I stopped by the Dune Pond but found only 2 Greater Yellowlegs and 1 Kildeer. Checking Devereux Slough form the pullout at the broken bridge, I found only 2 Least Sandpipers and 1 Kildeer on the mucky mud and water. > > Florence Sanchez > >
