Shorebirds and Bobolink at Kenilworth Park, DC

[Wayne Baumgartner]

I stopped by Kenilworth Park in NE DC this evening to see if I could find some
Bobolink. I was not disappointed when I saw over 40 BOBOLINK in the taller
grass and the small trees in the scrub area near the track.

A bigger surprise was the abundance of shorebirds. The tide was high on the
Anacostia, perhaps pushing shorebirds out of the main marsh at the Aquatic
Gardens. In a rain-filled pool between the second parking lot and the Anacostia,
there were 3 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 8 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 3 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, and
12 LEAST SANDPIPERS. In other puddles through out the park were additional
Solitary Sandpipers in threes and fours.

With the recent rains, most of the usual low spots in the park are filled with
water, and look excellent for the possibility of finding more shorebirds in the
near future.

I also stopped by the parking lot at RFK Stadium, and although it was
puddle-filled more than I have ever seen it, there were no shorebirds in evidence.


Good birding,

-Wayne Baumgartner
Washington, DC

[Robert Mocko]

Thanks for sharing this - I stopped by there today at lunch and saw the Lesser Yellowlegs (2), 1 Solitary Sandpiper, 2 Least Sandpipers, Savannah Sparrows, Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers, and 5 adult male Bobolinks in the ballfields.