Shorebird Counter and Educator Report for Friday, August 28, 2026 as part of the Shorebird Conservation and Education Project, located at Irving Nature Park in Saint John, NB.
Conditions:
Start: 10:30 AM
Weather: 16°C, Overcast, Wind 10 SSW
High Tide: 12:50 PM
End: 03:30 PM
Weather: 18°C, Overcast, Wind 21 SSW
Beach Engagement & Observations:
People Engaged 13
Total People on Beach 20
Dogs Leashed 2
Dogs Unleashed 1
Anglers 1
Other Snowshoe Hare
Birds Observed:
Boardwalk
Boardwalk was not done today
East Beach
Time 10:28 AM
eBird Checklist Link https://ebird.org/checklist/S387729319
# Species Observed 3
Semipalmated Plover 110
peep sp.: 40
Notes / Comments:
One dog was off leash, but after talking to the owner, they put the dog on the leash and seemed interested in learning about the shorebirds.
Main Beach
Time 11:38 PM
eBird Checklist Link https://ebird.org/checklist/S387731287
# Species Observed 14
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 4500
Least Sandpiper: 500
peep sp.: 1500
Semipalmated Plover: 75
Other shorebird species included: Hudsonian Whimbrel, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper and Killdeer
Notes / Comments:
Was on the main beach towards the flags, main body of SESA 6000 birds was West of me, I purposely parked myself in a spot to stop anyone from walking through the birds.
I stayed on the main beach for 2 hours.
There was a huge number of birds on the beach, Merlin and Peregrine were actively hunting, we witnessed Merlin take a peep. 2 American Herring Gulls were harassing the peeps also.
The fisherman was willing to keep a distance from the birds and wasn’t using live bait.
Marsh
Notes / Comments:
Marsh was not done today
Mudflats
Time 01:46 PM
eBird Checklist Link https://ebird.org/checklist/S387732130
# Species Observed 20
Black-bellied Plover 232
Killdeer 1
Semipalmated Plover 68
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Willet 1
Least Sandpiper 45
Semipalmated Sandpiper 4540
peep sp. 1300
Notes / Comments (Mudflats):
Peregrine were very active on the flats hunting, highlight of the day was a Willet on the mudflats. Strong gusts of wind had the birds airborne often.
Overall Report Comments or Notes:
The main beach was very active and the Mudflats were very active, I walked the East Beach today and then decided to spend additional time on the Main beach to keep the birds from being disturbed, therefore the Marsh and Boardwalk were not done today.
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.