[Tweeters] Skamania County shorebirds

[Peter Johnson via Tweeters]

Tweeters,

There is not a whole lot of shorebird habitat that I am aware of in 
Skamania County.  About 20 years ago we had a major rainfall event in 
Stevenson that resulted in a landslide that brought tons of fine 
material down Rock Creek and deposited it near the creek mouth and into 
Rock Creek Cove just north of the Highway 14 bridge.  A couple years 
after the landslide I started seeing western and least sandpipers in 
late summer early fall feeding in the new mudflat habitat when water 
levels dropped and exposed these areas.  Yesterday, my wife and I took 
the kayak out into the cove, and since the water is up and the shoreline 
habitat is unavailable, I didn't expect to see any shorebirds.   So i 
was surprised to encounter a group of 8 peeps resting on and feeding in 
a mass of aquatic vegetation a couple hundred feet from the shore and in 
about 5 feet of water.  I didn't have my binos but based on the brownish 
backs and yellow legs of some individuals, some, if not all of the peeps 
were least sandpipers.

Seeing these birds feeding on a floating mass of aquatic veg seems 
remarkable to me, a behavior I have not observed before. And what a 
great example of how adaptable to local conditions migrants can be.  I 
am curious to hear if others have witnessed shorebird feeding behavior 
similar to what I have described here. I did take a few pics and a short 
video using my iphone of the peeps resting on and feeding in the veg if 
anyone is interested.

Peter J
Stevenson, WA