As the title suggests these photos were taken a year ago today at Blanche Point, Shelburne County NS. At the time it was probably the most photographed owl in Nova Scotia being the rarity that it was. I had some time alone with it, only going on a chance conversation that it was still there. Often I get disappointed when chasing rare birds so don't often bother. This was an exception and the owl wasn't hard to find.
Named for its white rump, obviously. Where many sandpipers have a dark dividing patch in the middle of that area, this species along with a few others has an all white rump. Generally this feature isn't seen unless the bird is in flight.
Generally when Spotted Sandpipers are vocal and approachable they have young ones somewhere nearby. I believe that was the case in this instance.
Dowitchers are known for their sewing-machine like feeding habit as their bills probe the soft mud and sand in the areas they habituate. Apparently the name comes from an Iroquois word although another explanation has it that it may be a corruption of a word used by immigrant German hunters on Long Island - deutscher referring to it as German Snipe to distinguish it from the English (Common) Snipe.
The plovers and yellowlegs were having a good day locating and pulling worms from the marsh mud.
I haven't spent enough time at the lake this year to know but I've heard there are fewer terns there this year. I did see quite a few fishing off the beach one day and there have been adults feeding young ones so it seems they are still nesting somewhere close by.
