BIRDING FULLERTON’S MARSH IMPOUNDMENT: by David Seeler 
     
    
   
   
    
     On the morning of August 15'“, I headed out to Fullerton's Marsh - a mere 10 km out at sunrise. Afier 
     
     wading through grass and weeds waist tall and stumbling on the ridges lefi by the potato planter, I thought I had 
     
     it made when I hit the trees where I would cut into the berm. Unfortunately, the grasses and weeds in there were 
     
     shoulder high and I think I found every fallen tree or sapling in the area. Sure wish some agency would place a 
     
     trail in there! 
     
    

    
     After hitting the berm - I realized it may well of been worth it. The water levels were low and there was 
     
     an extensive mudflat visible. Running about like drunken individuals were a few Greater and a good number of 
     
     Lesser Yellowlegs along with a fair number of peeps. 
     
    

    
     I headed to the East end of the berm so that I could keep the sun to my back as I scanned the mudflats. 
     
     Unfortunately, further east than the dam were 2 Dowitchers in worn alternate plumage which were very 
     
     inconsistent with 99.9 percent of the Short-billed Dowitchers I had observed in the last two weeks. Almost all of 
     
     the Short-bills are close to being in their basic plumages or at the very least well along the molting process. 
     
    

    
     These two birds were "hanging out" with 2 Wilson's Snipe and 2 Killdeer in a small narrow area of the 
     
     east end of the marsh. Over time I was able to get reasonable views of both birds and, as time progressed, I was 
     
     of the opinion that they were Long-billed Dowitchers but needed more time to observe details such as "barring" 
     
     and "spotting" of specific areas of each. I had to do this before the sun was high enough to cause significant 
     
     backlighting and glare thus leading to reduced visibility. 
     
    

    
     As the tide on the north side of the berm rose - large numbers of shorebirds invaded the fresh water 
     
     impoundment giving good views of Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers; Least, Semipalmated and 
     
     White-rumped Sandpipers AND in excess of 200 Short-billed Dowitchers which flew into the mudflats as one 
     
     group - quite a ways from the original 2 birds which ignored the intruders. 
     
    

    
     Of those which arrived, all but perhaps three were mostly in basic plumage. Of those three, two were 
     
     Limnodromus griseus griseus (Short-billed Dowitchers Atlantic race) and one L. g. hendersoni (Short-billed 
     
     Dowitchers interior race). The interior race specimen was molting and provided enough detail to compare the 
     
     two original birds. There were clear differences and, combined with the tail and other markings consistent with 
     
     Long-billed Dowitchers, I am reasonably confident that the two were Long-billed Dowitchers but hopefully 
     
     others will get a chance to verify this. 
     
    

    
     Interestingly at no time did these two birds attempt or show any interest in joining the others. The rest of 
     
     the shorebirds spent their time chasing insects and other morsels on the mudflats and given the short distances 
     
     involved - provided excellent views. Of the Least Sandpipers, most were in fact immatures, with a few adults 
     
     mixed in. Of the Semipalmated Sandpipers, only one appeared to be an immature. 
     
    

    
     An excellent place to bird - but more than a little difficult to get into. While in the past we have made this 
     
     particular trek in early September - it clearly has good potential in mid—August. 
     
    

    
     (Editor ’s Note: adapted from a PEI Birder ’s List Server August 15‘” , 2004 release. Fullerton ’s Marsh is located 
     
    
   
   
    
     upstream from Fullerton ’s Marsh the first major tributary on the south side of the Hillsborough River just east of 
     
     Charlottetown.) 
     
    
   
   
    
     BIG DAY REPORT: by David Seeler 
     
    
   
   
    
     Sunday, 6 June, Ray Cooke, Eric Marcum and myself headed out for a Big Day. After 21 hours, we 
     
     identified 141 species of which the following were (and are) of note: 
     
    
   
   
    
     1. Eastern Screech-Owl (Rtes 216 and 5 - NE Quadrant) 
     
     2. Cliff Swallow (East Point) 
     
    

    
     3. Broad-winged Hawk 
     
    

    
     4. Razorbill (East Point)