10/9/13

  Clear skies and light SE winds were the order of the day, temps hit 19 by the end of the count.

Yeah, nothing to talk about with the waterbirds.

14 CANG
15 BWTE
14 Scaup
3 SUSC
2 HOGR
18 DCCO
2 AMCO
4 SAND
1 DUNL
13 BOGU

Passerines weren't as numerous as yesterday, however while working the dune grass I kicked up a Nelson's (formerly Sharp-tailed) Sparrow. This is only the second fall record for Tiscornia and the first since 2011. Do to more thorough searching I've NESP three years running at Tiscornia (two this year), and every year in the county since 2008. Which makes since if you think of NESP as a uncommon migrant as opposed to a truly vagrant species. Also, despite what some have told me NESP and LCSP are field identifiable in flight (as are HESP and GRSP, but then again I am waterbird counter so what do I know). Perhaps in the future I'll have time to do delve into a full discussion on this topic.