Curlew Sandpiper (breeding plumage) - Wakarusa Waste Water Ponds, Wakarusa, Indiana - May 22, 2007

As we were sitting down to dinner, the phone rang. It was Dan Stoltzfus saying "John, I think we have a Curlew Sandpiper at Wakarusa." Dinner went back in the oven, and half an hour later we were looking at one of my all time most wanted birds - a breeding-plumed Curlew Sandpiper. This bird was a second state record. The following day a large group of birders converged on the site, but failed to relocate the bird. However, the story didn't end there; while lookinhg for the Curlew, birders found Indiana's first Red-necked Stint, a much rarer bird! Wakarusa Ponds had produced my third life bird, all three vagrant Asian shorebirds.

These photos were taken with a Nikon Digital Camera.

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Curlew Sandpiper Photo 1

Curlew Sandpiper Photo 2

Curlew Sandpiper Photo 3

Curlew Sandpiper Photo 4

Curlew Sandpiper Photo 5