Brown pelicans - Berrien Co - 7/30

[matthysell at comcast.net]

I somewhat hesitate to post these as I strongly doubt they're chaseable, but I had a quite productive morning today at Tiscornia Beach in St Joseph; over the course of 3 hours I had the following:

4 juvenile brown pelicans
4 blue-winged teal
1 semipalmated sandpiper
10 sanderling
1 spotted sandpiper
1 avocet
4 Forster's terns
1 Caspian tern
1 Bonaparte's gull
1 Yellow warbler

The pelicans appeared well out, flying slowly away from me in formation unfazed by steady WSW winds which forced the Herring gulls to work when flying into the wind.  They didn't turn either way, just kept flying steadily low over the water until I lost them far far out.  They were angling out towards somewhere north of Chicago, not following the shoreline at all.

The avocet appeared while I waited hoping the pelicans might come back as someone walked down the beach from Jean Kloch Park to the north, slowly herding the avocet and about 8 sanderlings down the beach.  Avocets have been reported sporadically from Tiscornia over the last 7-10 days, probably being seen on about 1/3 of the visits.

Tiscornia Beach is labeled North Beach in the Delorme, immediately north of the north pier extending out from the St Joseph River mouth.  An excellent map is on page 409 of The Birder's Guide to Michigan, otherwise take I-94 to Napier Avenue, go west a total of about 4 miles on Napier through Benton Harbor, across the river, and about 1 mile past the hospital, then go north (right) when Napier T's onto M63/Niles avenue.  Continue about 2 miles through St Joseph, re-cross the river on the large drawbridge just north of town and take a left on Momany Drive.  This T's on to Upton Drive, go left (south) and take it about 400 yards until you take a shaded brick road (Marina drive) which angles off to the right, makes a couple bends and essentially ends at Tiscornia.

Matt
www.berrienbirder.blogspot.com
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