Whimbrel at Lakeshore State Park Milwaukee Wisconsin September 22, 2014

I birded Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee this morning about 7:30. I have not visited the park in well over 2 weeks. I ran into Bruce, and we walked the park for about an hour. We were just talking about the Whimbrel and having not seen it when out from nowhere it glided right over our heads and landed 50 feet away. It gave nice views and preened for some time, getting all the feathers in order. The Whimbrel also ate gravel for it digestive system which I had never saw before. The stones or gravel help in grinding up their food in their stomachs.  The second Whimbrel has not been seen for some time. This bird will have been present 3 weeks as of tomorrow. Other species to note, about 10 Double-crested Cormorants were in the waters around the park area. Images were taken on September 22, 2014.

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Whimbrel

Binomial name: Numenius phaeopus

Category: Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

Size: 17.5” long, 32” wing span

Weight: 14 Oz.

Habitat: Breeding habitats can be wet or dry in tundra areas, taiga bogs, and sparse scrub lands across northern Canada and Alaska. This species winters in parts of the southern US and South America on coastal shorelines, in tidal flats, shallow marshes, short grasslands, mangroves, beaches and oyster banks.

Diet: In breeding season they prefer marine invertebrates mainly small crabs, sometimes insects and berries and even flowers. They are also known to eat butterflies. In migration their diet can include crabs, beach flies, beetles, spiders, grasshoppers and oysters.

Nesting: As the snow melts on their nesting grounds they establish territories doing aerial displays. The nest is made up of a scrape on the ground or pressed bowl typically lined with leaves, lichens and grasses. Clutch size is usually 2-5 eggs green in color marked with darker greens and browns. Both sexes incubate the eggs for about 25 days. When the downy chicks hatch, they are ready to walk. Adult birds are known to attack humans if they come too close in their nesting area.

Cool facts: Some of the migrating Whimbrels are known to do a nonstop migration flight south of 2,500 miles.

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Picking up a stone.

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Getting ready to swallow the stone.

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Getting ready to swallow the stone.

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Getting ready to swallow the stone.

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Picking up a stone.

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Scratching!

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Preening, straightening and cleaning the feathers.

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Preening, straightening and cleaning the feathers.

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Preening, straightening and cleaning the feathers.

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Preening, straightening and cleaning the feathers.

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Preening, straightening and cleaning the feathers.

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Preening, straightening and cleaning the feathers.

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Eating a grub, image taken September 26, 2014

Eating a grub, image taken September 26, 2014

Eating a grub, image taken September 26, 2014

Eating a grub, image taken September 26, 2014

Image taken September 26, 2014

Image taken September 26, 2014

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Image taken September 26, 2014

Image taken September 26, 2014

Image taken September 26, 2014

Whimbrels at Lakeshore State Park Milwaukee Wisconsin September 2, 2014

I got a report of 2 Whimbrels at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee late morning and made a quick run in there. They were there as reported. Both of them moved about the rock shorelines, the taller prairie grasses and also the mowed areas feeding on insects. I noticed on 2 occasions grasshoppers were taken which looked pretty hard to get down.  They smashed them up on the rocks before eating them. Another time one was eating Purple Nightshade berries which did not surprise me as they are known to eat some berries. Cool birds! Some bikers came over the walk bridge at the park and flushed them from the mowed area. They did a large circle flyover of part of the park and headed south. I could not relocate them after that incident.  Images were taken on September 2, 2014.

Whimbrels, 2 juv.

Whimbrels, 2 juv.

Whimbrel

Binomial name: Numenius phaeopus

Category: Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

Size: 17.5” long, 32” wing span

Weight: 14 Oz.

Habitat: Breeding habitats can be wet or dry in tundra areas, taiga bogs, and sparse scrub lands across northern Canada and Alaska. This species winters in parts of the southern US and South America on coastal shorelines, in tidal flats, shallow marshes, short grasslands, mangroves, beaches and oyster banks.

Diet: In breeding season they prefer marine invertebrates mainly small crabs, sometimes insects and berries and even flowers. They are also known to eat butterflies. In migration their diet can include crabs, beach flies, beetles, spiders, grasshoppers and oysters.

Nesting: As the snow melts on their nesting grounds they establish territories doing aerial displays. The nest is made up of a scrape on the ground or pressed bowl typically lined with leaves, lichens and grasses. Clutch size is usually 2-5 eggs green in color marked with darker greens and browns. Both sexes incubate the eggs for about 25 days. When the downy chicks hatch, they are ready to walk. Adult birds are known to attack humans if they come too close in their nesting area.

Cool facts: Some of the migrating Whimbrels are known to do a nonstop migration flight south of 2,500 miles.

Whimbrel, juv. hunting

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv. moving about the rocks.

Whimbrel, juv. moving about the rocks.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv. preening.

Whimbrel, juv. preening.

Whimbrel, juv. preening.

Whimbrel, juv. preening.

Whimbrel, juv. moving about the rocks.

Whimbrel, juv. moving about the rocks.

Whimbrel, juv. hunting for insects.

Whimbrel, juv. hunting for insects.

Whimbrel, juv. with a grasshopper.

Whimbrel, juv. with a grasshopper.

Whimbrel, juv. with a grasshopper.

Whimbrel, juv. with a grasshopper.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv. hunting for insects.

Whimbrel, juv. hunting for insects.

2 Whimbrel, juv. one with a grasshopper.

2 Whimbrel, juv. one with a grasshopper.

Whimbrel, juv. eating Purple Nightshade berries.

Whimbrel, juv. eating Purple Nightshade berries.

Whimbrel, juv. eating Purple Nightshade berries.

Whimbrel, juv. eating Purple Nightshade berries.

Whimbrel, juv. eating Purple Nightshade berries.

Whimbrel, juv. eating Purple Nightshade berries.

Whimbrel, juv. eating Purple Nightshade berries.

Whimbrel, juv. eating Purple Nightshade berries.

Whimbrel, juv. eating Purple Nightshade berries.

Whimbrel, juv. eating Purple Nightshade berries.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv.

2 Whimbrel, juv.

2 Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel, juv.

Whimbrel at Myer’s Park Racine Wisconsin August 20, 2014

I decided to make another drive to Racine even though I was there yesterday. A Whimbrel was reported later in the day, it would be a life bird for me. I was there at sunrise. I looked the wetland over for about 10 minutes and did not see movement but then it was getting light. All of the sudden the Whimbrel flew in and landed 100 feet from me. I was still in my car. It moved around a little while I walked down to the wetland. Moments later what I think was a Peregrine Falcon came down and tried to grab the Whimbrel. They both took off like a streak of light over the lake. I felt the Whimbrel was a goner. I found a place to sit and wait. After 45 minutes, the Whimbrel came flying in again to the same area along with the 3 Black-bellied Plovers. I never even knew those birds had left too in all the excitement. I actually felt some relief in my mind that I knew the Whimbrel survived that confrontation.  I watched it feed almost continually for some time. It was taking it’s bill and sticking in the ground to its mouth and turning it. It was feeding on tiny worms species, something it eats. It was an exciting day, a life bird, well worth the trip. Images were taken on August 20, 2014.

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Whimbrel

Binomial name: Numenius phaeopus

Category: Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

Size: 17.5” long, 32” wing span

Weight: 14 Oz.

Habitat: Breeding habitats can be wet or dry in tundra areas, taiga bogs, and sparse scrub lands across northern Canada and Alaska. This species winters in parts of the southern US and South America on coastal shorelines, in tidal flats, shallow marshes, short grasslands, mangroves, beaches and oyster banks.

Diet: In breeding season they prefer marine invertebrates mainly small crabs, sometimes insects and berries and even flowers. They are also known to eat butterflies. In migration their diet can include crabs, beach flies, beetles, spiders, grasshoppers and oysters.

Nesting: As the snow melts on their nesting grounds they establish territories doing aerial displays. The nest is made up of a scrape on the ground or pressed bowl typically lined with leaves, lichens and grasses. Clutch size is usually 2-5 eggs green in color marked with darker greens and browns. Both sexes incubate the eggs for about 25 days. When the downy chicks hatch, they are ready to walk. Adult birds are known to attack humans if they come too close in their nesting area.

Cool facts: Some of the migrating Whimbrels are known to do a nonstop migration flight south of 2,500 miles.

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel feeding catching worms

Whimbrel feeding catching worm species

Whimbrel with a worm species

Whimbrel with a worm species in bill.

Whimbrel with a worm species

Whimbrel with a worm species in bill.

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel

Whimbrel with worm species in mouth.

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel extracting a worm species.

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel extracting a worm species.

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel extracting a worm species.

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel extracting a worm species.

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel with a worm species at the end of the bill.

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel flipping a worm species in the bill for a better bite.

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel with a worm species in the bill.

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel with a worm species in the bill.

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel with a worms species in the bill.

Whimbrel extracting a worm species

Whimbrel flipping a worm species for a better bite.

Pergrine Faclon in pursuit of the Whimbrel over Lake Michigan.

Peregrine Falcon in pursuit of the Whimbrel over Lake Michigan.

Peregrine Falcon in pursuit of the Whimbrel over Lake Michigan.

Peregrine Falcon in pursuit of the Whimbrel over Lake Michigan.

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel