Shorebirds to Egrets Rondeau Area

For a change in route, I started at Blenheim Sewage Lagoons first thing this morning.  Blenheim is actually getting quite attractive for shorebirds.  There is edge along ponds 1 and 2, and a good mudflat and shallow water in pond 5.  The one sprinkler cell is worth checking as well.
Pond 5 was very good, although the birds are quite distant.  The last couple of summers this pond has not been good for shorebirds, but in previous years it was the place to be.  It is mostly vegetated with reeds, but there is an open area of water and some mud towards the back.  It is especially attractive to the larger shorebirds, so an Avocet is likely to show up there!  Godwits as well!
Today I also stopped at Blenheim in mid afternoon on my way home.  Highlight was a Red Phalarope in the sprinkler cell. First of year. I originally thought this to be a Red-necked but it bothered me all day.  Never thought a lot about it until Alan Wormington suggested it to be a Red.  Bill looked a bit thick for Red-necked and the plumage seemed a bit odd. Plumage can be variable on phalaropes, so it made it challenging.  Due to time of year and an somewhat unlikely location for a Red Phalarope, I never really considered Red.  After some discussion and looking at dozens of photos on the internet, we believe this to be a Red.

Also the White-rumped Sandpiper was still present, among others.
Along the edge of pond 2 I picked out a Baird's Sandpiper.  Fewer Solitary Sandpipers present today, but lots of Pectoral.

Pond 5 held 85 Greater Yellowlegs, 7 Stilt Sandpipers, at least 2 Short-billed Dowitchers and 2 which appeared to be Long-billed. Some peeps were along the muddy edge.  Too bad it is quite distant though.
Probably 300+ shorebirds present at Blenheim in total.
A juv Black-crowned Night-Heron was along pond 1.

Still lots of Common Buckeye and Fiery Skippers there.

I didn't arrive at Rondeau until after 9 a.m. so that may have had a bearing on the this hot day on the number of land birds I saw.  There were very few and no notable migrants.

I walked out south beach.  The marsh habitat is excellent out there with lots of wild rice growing, etc.  An impressive group of 20 Great Egrets was loafing around--certainly the most I have ever seen at Rondeau.  Egrets are generally rare at Rondeau, so this was a treat.  One would expect a Little Blue or Snowy, but no.  Someone else will have to find one!

Ridgetown Lagoon is better this weekend.  I stopped there too!  A few shorebirds present including 4 Stilt Sandpipers.