Great White-rumped "Whale" caught at last

I almost wasn't going to go out today, due to some heavy duty moving around of my office and studio, but the sunshine was just too tempting.  We had a good dumping of rain yesterday, so I thought I would just try the flooded field on 23 Mile Road on my way to make the WTP rounds (Duck Lake, Homer and Tekonsha.  White-rumped Sandpipers were still being reported North and South of here.  I was surprised to see that the deeper pond, that 2 months ago had housed a Pied-billed Grebe and some Teal was now almost nonexistent.  I could see some movement, and upon getting my scope on it I could see 5 Pectoral Sandpipers along with a few Killdeer.  Not bad, but I decided to keep looking.  Scanning North a little more I ran in to another Pectoral, and a slightly smaller Peep that had a promising profile to it.  Long wings, black legs and not buffy like a Baird's Sandpiper.  It was indeed a first for Calhoun County White-rumped Sandpiper!!!  Finally after what seems like forever with these guys showing up all around, this little flooded field comes through one last time.  

This field still had one more gift to give, at least to add to how great this location has been the past 3 months.  Right near the above two birds was a Dunlin, in heavy winter plumage.  Grey enough for me to try to manipulate it into a Red Knot.  That makes 16 shorebirds, out of the 28 that I have as possible for this area, showing up in this little field.  This also makes the 5th County first bird reported from this site since August 1st.  

I decided to still check out Duck Lake and theWTP at Duck Lake.  Duck Lake offered little besides a large group of American Coots.  Upon arriving at the WTP I was pleasantly surprised by how far drawn down the water was on the East pond.  I thought for sure there would be some more shorebirds present.  Alas, it was not to be.  Nothing by some Killdeer that flew out with some Starlings when I pulled in, and a handful hanging around the pond.  I thought I was hearing and seeing some American Pipits but without my bins, and the bright backlit sun I was unable to get good looks.  I caught one bird heading North towards the Farm Field, snapped a pic and turned out to be an American Pipit.  Turned out to be a new bird for this location.  

I decided to not hit up Homer, or Tekonsha, and headed back home.  The Dunlin and White-rumped Sandpiper had disappeared about 15 minutes into the 20 minutes I was at 23 Mile Road, so I swung back by for another quick look.  Nothing but the Pectorals and Killdeer were there.  I now regret hitting up Homer as Tom Pavlik had 4 of the White-rumped Sandpipers there around the same time I would have arrived there.  Dr. Dale Kennedy, later in the day, also had the first Snow Goose of the year for the county.  The Snow Goose would have been a nice pickup for the year.  Especially when I consider that last year at this time I was only 1 bird ahead of where I am at this year (it will be 2 birds tomorrow).