Shorebird Counter and Educator Report for Thursday, September 17, 2026 as part of the Shorebird Conservation and Education Project, located at Irving Nature Park in Saint John, NB.
Conditions:
Start: 01:30 PM
Weather: 18°C, Overcast, Wind 17 SW
High Tide: 05:00 PM
End: 07:00 PM
Weather: 16°C, Overcast, Wind 18 SSW
Beach Engagement & Observations:
People Engaged 3
Total People on Beach 5
Dogs Leashed 1
Anglers 4
Birds Observed:
Boardwalk
Time 05:53 PM
eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S393793896
# Species Observed 14
Mallard: 1
American Black Duck: 12
Lesser Yellowlegs: 3
Greater Yellowlegs: 4
Pectoral Sandpiper: 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 16
Ring-billed Gull: 100
American Herring Gull: 21
Double-crested Cormorant: 35
Great Egret: 2
Great Blue Heron: 4
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 2
American Crow: 7
Notes / Comments:
There was an aggressive aerial dogfight between 2 Peregrines and a Merlin with a the prey being a Pectoral Sandpiper, I’m happy to say the Pect got away though I’m not sure it wasn’t injured as it looked 4 times like it had been taken but then got away.
I had a bird hanging out with the Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs that looked like a Stilt Sandpiper but I couldn’t get a good look and it went into the thicker grass.
Photo Description Pics of the Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and one shot of possible Stilt but not sure, it’s in the grass beside a Greater Yellowlegs. Also shots of Great Egret.
Main Beach
Time 04:48 PM
eBird Checklist Link https://ebird.org/checklist/S393792673
# Species Observed 8
Black-bellied Plover: 1
Semipalmated Plover: 1
Dunlin: 1
Least Sandpiper: 120
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 67
Ring-billed Gull: 36
American Herring Gull: 5
Peregrine Falcon: 2
Notes / Comments:
I had a significant number of peeps on the tidal flats but less than 200 on the beach. I did see 2 Peregrines actively hunting on the beach, I believe the peeps may have found a safer place to roost.
Marsh
Time 03:43 PM
eBird Checklist Link https://ebird.org/checklist/S393792313
# Species Observed 16
Canada Goose: 35
Mallard: 3
American Black Duck: 17
Green-winged Teal: 2
Lesser Yellowlegs: 1
Least Sandpiper: 2
Pectoral Sandpiper: 3
Ring-billed Gull: 12
American Herring Gull: 5
Double-crested Cormorant: 5
Great Egret: 1
Great Blue Heron: 6
Northern Harrier: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 1
American Crow: 8
Savannah Sparrow: 4
Notes / Comments:
There was not a lot of activity in the marsh, but I could hear the Pectoral Sandpipers calling out around me.
Mudflats
Time 01:33 PM
eBird Checklist Link https://ebird.org/checklist/S393791768
# Species Observed 15
American Black Duck: 5
Common Eider: 8
Black-bellied Plover: 56
Semipalmated Plover: 2
Solitary Sandpiper: 1
Lesser Yellowlegs: 1
Greater Yellowlegs: 2
Dunlin: 6
Pectoral Sandpiper: 7
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1040
peep sp.: 660
Ring-billed Gull: 28
American Herring Gull: 27
Double-crested Cormorant: 23
Great Egret: 1
Great Blue Heron: 6
Notes / Comments (Mudflats):
There was a good number of peeps on the tidal flats, a Merlin was actively hunting across the flats giving chase to the flocks of peeps.
Photo Description Pectorals and Black-bellied Plovers on the tidal flats
Overall Report Comments or Notes:
Overall the park was quite quiet of shorebirds except the tidal flats but I believe a good number of the birds are going elsewhere to roost.
The birds of prey have been quite actively hunting the marsh, the beach and the tidal flats.
Submitted by Counter/Educator: Paul Martin
The Shorebird Conservation and Education Project is supported by our funders at the NB Wildlife Trust Fund, the NB Environmental Trust Fund.