When the cellphone rang, I looked at the screen and saw it was Len Medlock. It must mean he’s got a good bird. Sure enough a Wilson’s Phalarope had been found at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant the day before, and was still present. I dropped everything and headed out. I keep a pair of good but small binoculars in the glovebox of the car for exactly these situations. But as I headed up to Exeter I realized that a scope would likely be helpful if not necessary. I called Len back to see if he might still be in Exeter looking at the bird, but he had already left the plant. But Len graciously offered for me to pick up his scope en route to Exeter.
With Len’s scope in hand, I arrived at the plant and went to the northeast lagoon per Len’s directions. A quick scan with the binocs didn’t reveal any shorebirds at all. So I started scanning with the scope more slowly right to left. I got to the far left (NW) corner and there was the Phalarope – swimming close to the water’s edge. (If I had started scanning from the left I would have seen the bird right away.) I got a bit closer for a better look and very nice views.
My Wilson’s Phalarope map is inserted below. In addition to the more typical western states, I’ve seen it now in a fair number of eastern states too.
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