Today really felt autumnal, a grey sky above with only odd the odd partying of the clouds which allowed the odd blast of sunlight through. The temperature has dropped and it feels cooler a lot cooler. I walked along the seawall and scan through the roosting turnstones on the rocks where this juvenile red knot was present (above).
I then walked up on the fields to see if there were any waders present but there wasn't but I reckon this small pool has held the odd "biggie" in the past and could do so in the future. So I walk back to the seawall and I can see the Santorini (below) departing Terceira for Sao Jorge via Graciosa. I have done a lot of journey's on this ferry in past and I do like this vessel.
I may be wrong but the quarry feels bigger this year and it looks like there has been some excavation works and also embankment stabilisation works with what appears to be a new build up of the seawall defences (above and below)
I decided to check the roost today and where as on the point I search through flocks of dunlin and ringed plover here I am searching through a large flock of Sanderling of which there is at least 160+ birds. I count 3 white rumped sandpipers together in the roost and find that the short billed dowitcher is roosting in amongst the nearby turnstones.
As the tide retreats the waders begin to feed and the quarry feels alive with waders today. I count 11 Pec sands and this is the highest count I have ever had but I suspect there are more. I am always conservative when counting and so I do believe that there is more than 11 pecs present.
The short billed dowitcher shows well again today and I grab the opportunity to try and gain a few more photos (above)
The Semi palmated sandpipers have also built up as I count 9 at least, again this is a personal highest count for myself. I also try to get some better photos of these today.
The white rumped sandpipers have also built up and these are now at 5 but again I suspect there are more present. So total's for today stand at: Semi P plover 3, semi p sandpiper 9, pectoral sandpiper 11+, lesser yellow legs 3, least sandpiper 1 (only seen in the roost but nice to see again as I couldn't locate it yesterday). I bump in to Carlos Pierre again today and advise him of the increase in the numbers of waders today. I tell him to scan the back edge where the 9 semi P sands are present and he agrees with the count, also the pecs. As I sit there and scan I think to myself that I have never seen the quarry so "on the boil" the hurricanes are backing up in the States, the waders are stacking up in the quarry and I wonder what the next few days ahead are going to produce in the quarry. I also think that if the waders are making it here then so must the american warblers. The Islands of Corvo and Flores are just siting there waiting to be taken by the first who arrive.
Below shows another couple of poor quality video clips but you get the idea. This quarry just has to be the best place in the WP for american waders and I really do like this quarry. It is a great place and if this wasn't present it would be a great loss to the Azores birding.
