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15 - Orono Weekly Times Wednesday, September 2, 2009 Birds of a Feather Birding by Markus Lise Shorebirds: Greater Yellowlegs Yes, the Shorebirds are slowly increasing in numbers as they pass through. I am attaching a photo of the Greater Yellowlegs. Yesterday I had the privilege of seeing 6 of them flocking over Reesor Pond just a stone throw north of the Toronto Zoo. And there were 3 Great Egrets as well and further south of Taunton Road/Steeles I sighted 3 Pied-Billed Grebes, 1 adult and 2 young birds. Shorebirds frequent the planes of mud flats, beaches, and marsh pools, some of which may seem inhospitable and unproductive as feeding areas. Sewage lagoons such as the Nonquan Sewage Lagoons in Port Perry are popular places for these birds to hang out. Once nicknamed "telltales," Yellowlegs take alarm quickly, scaring off other shrorebirds. When looking down into a marsh pool: a myriad of small fish and invertebrates can be seen moving around. Or reach into the muck of a tidal flat and pull up a handful: it is alive with small crustaceans and other tiny creatures. Rocky coastlines are dotted with mussel beds, and tiny shrimplike organisms abound in the surf-line sand. Shorebirds have bills of diverse shapes and sizes to make the most of these riches. From Short-billed Dowitchers, which probe the mud's surface, to Longbilled Curlews, which reach deep into the muck for worms, Shorebirds boast a variety of bills that would put a mechanic's tool kit to shame. Knots, Dunlins, Godwits, Whimbrels-each is designed for a particular niche, and together they take advantage of nearly every shoreline feeding opportunity. Greater Yellowlegs fall photo by Jean Iron near the middle of this spectrum. Their long legs enable them to wade farther from shore, where instead of probing the mud they sweep the water for invertebrates or stab at small fish. With all the rain we have been having they are at an advantage in high water levels. At times their frenzied dashes verge on the comical, but they are only claiming a share of the shoreline's bounty that is uniquely their own. I get very excited about all of these birds. They are all so unique. I can't wait to write some more about the Great Egrets and Piedbilled Grebes. I just received and read the latest bird report from Ontario Birds. 41 Great Egrets were sighted in the Luther Marsh close to Orangeville yesterday. These sleek, snowwhite waders were many things to many people in the late 1800's. Plume hunters called it long white, for the filamentous feathers that trailed down their backs. Ladies thought it fashionable when they adorned their hats with these flowing nuptial plumes. Alarmed citizens, who saw egrets being shot on their breeding grounds, saw a species facing a death sentence. If you have any bird stories or questions to share, please e-mail me at: lise.markus@gmail.com Markus Lise lives in Newcastle. He is a retired minister who now spends his time as a "minister of Nature."