Watch for shorebirds on their way north over the next two or three weeks

ROBERTS — It is time to start watching for shorebirds on area flooded fields, lakes and ponds.

During last Monday’s rainstorm, Market Lake had some small flocks of American avocets, black-necked stilts, long-billed curlews and white-faced ibis join a smattering of killdeer near the ponds. Later in the week willets, spotted sandpipers and greater yellowlegs showed up in the flooded fields west of the ponds and across the freeway.

For the last couple of years in southeastern Idaho, the shorebirds did not have many flooded areas to spend time in; but this spring, water is everywhere. In fact, there is so much ponding, it sometimes it takes a while to find the pockets of these interesting birds.

Flooded agricultural fields, Mud Lake, Market Lake and area canals being filled up for irrigation will be great places to look for shorebirds for the next two or three weeks. North Mud Lake Road is now open for travel and will be a great place to look for not only shorebirds, but also songbirds and nesting raptors, along with nesting great horned owls. Camas National Wildlife Refuge does not have water in most of its ponds, but we should get some great runoff from the snow melt that will create habitat for a lot of different species.

Usually, with the migration of common shorebirds, we will get some odd balls that are not common to this area or ones that used to come but haven’t showed up for years. Already this season, we have seen a snowy and a cattle egret. These are not technically shorebirds but are found in the same habitat as them.

Shorebirds are “waders” with long skinny legs and long skinny bills used for probing in the mud for insects, worms and crustaceans. Some of them feed in large flocks while others feed by themselves, and they can be frustrating for beginning birders to identify. I was informed by Idaho Fish and Game personnel that they will be doing a shorebird survey at Market Lake this week, but I am finding most of them in the flooded fields and pastures.

The next month should be exciting to get out and look for wildlife. This week, I located my first burrowing owls and my first warblers while there are still small flocks of snow geese flying around. Most of the great gray owls have moved to the area mountains, but one visited my backyard this week. I even found a nest of great-horned owls that already have owlets peering over the edge of their nest.

The colorful songbirds are starting to migrate as I photographed some yellow-rumped warblers this week, and the great-blue herons are starting to invade hayfields to gobble down voles. The ospreys are back in town adding baling twine and sticks to their already-huge nests.

I have put away most of my suet block feeders and replaced them with hummingbird feeders and orange halves, because many of the colorful fruit eaters will start showing up soon. The turkeys are displaying and fighting with each other. When the roads out past the St. Anthony sand dunes open, we can view the dancing of the sage grouse.

I will also be watching for Long-tailed weasels to be setting up dens to raise their blood-thirsty youngsters as they are fun to watch. In the meantime, I will be trying to find a perfect rock of agate or jasper to form into jewelry for the people in my life.

It is time to enjoy the great outdoors. You don’t have to be a professional bird watcher or rockhound to enjoy being outside as the world is changing from being mostly white to very colorful. Enjoy it and get some healthy exercise – the shorebirds are waiting for you.