Got a couple on mon@rch
American Avocet
On the 8th of July, mon@rch was taking me home from a day of bird banding at the SWAT site. About five minutes after he took me home I got a phone call from my neighbors wanting to know if I would like to come with her to the mouth of the Cattaraugus Creek and Lake Erie to see a “bird”. She did not tell me what the bird was so I knew it would be good. Keep in mind this was about five minutes after mon@rch left. My neighbor picked me up at my house and brought me down to the lake to look at this “bird”. She has still not told me what it was and so we walked down to the beach. There was the “bird” wading on the shore.
American Avocet
I will admit at first that I was not sure what it was, but as soon as I opened the field guide, I remembered what it was. I did not even make it to the page that the bird was on and just screamed “AVOCET”. The proper name is the American Avocet and I immediately called mon@rch on his cell phone. Of course I got his voice mail and then called him when I got home after seeing this amazing bird. He said that “I should have called him” and of course I told him “check your voice mail”. He did and sure enough there was a message on his phone of me being extra happy about this bird.
Video of the American Avocet
Another bird that I have gotten in the past on mon@rch was a Ruddy Turnstone. This bird was with the same people that I saw with the American Avocet. The Turnstone was seen also by the Cattaraugus Creek and Lake Erie. The Turnstone is more commonly seen in the fall than the Avocet. This bird is one that many people have not heard of and has a large rusty color alone the side and the head and the whole back is white with a white breast. It’s named Turnstone because it flips rocks over to get its food.
Ruddy Turnstone
Note from mon@rch: Young Naturalist J did everything with this posting . . . . wrote the text, took the photos and captured the videos all on his own. I only assisted him with a few minor things . . . . including layout of the post!!
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
Awesome Job Kiddo – Although I am a bit jealous with these awesome birds you saw! Both would be lifers for me!!
30 July 2007 at 10:15 am
good one J – we are very proud of you!
30 July 2007 at 10:37 am
Thank you mom and Mon@rch
30 July 2007 at 11:01 am
Totally cool! Good job on Young Naturalist J and on Mon@rch — you are clearly doing something right with these kids! Great birds!
30 July 2007 at 11:04 am
This is a great post J-I love the video-I too am jealous of the Advocet. Great job on the post, entry and video (the video’s my favourite, I can pretend I saw it too, ;D)
30 July 2007 at 11:23 am
That is awesome. Educator is your second name, Tom.
30 July 2007 at 11:25 am
Way to go J!!! They would be lifers for me! Nice job on the post too. You gave Tom a run for his money!
30 July 2007 at 12:01 pm
Way to go Y.N. J! And too bad you missed all of the excitement, Mon@rch… Avocets in your area is pretty cool.
30 July 2007 at 12:14 pm
@ Liz – he wanted to do this post and did a wonderful job! I offer the opportunity like with everyone else, what he does with the opportunity is totally up to him!
@ Marg – told you this was going to be a great post! If you are allowed to count it, then I am also!
@ Shutterbug – thanks and at this point he’s probably teaching himself more than I am teaching him!
@ Lynne – we give each other a run for our money! He’s just loves getting a few birds up on me!
@ Marty – thanks for rubbing it in!! LOL
30 July 2007 at 12:14 pm
My son (~10) has a bird on me, the Ruffed Grouse. You have the Ruddy Turnstone and the American Avocet on me, though recent avocet reports in a nearby county give us hope.
Great post J, everything looks great.
30 July 2007 at 1:26 pm
Great post J. Nice pictures. I’ll have to look and see if I can spot birds like these on our shores of Lake Erie.
30 July 2007 at 1:41 pm
@ Veery – and they never let you live it down, do they? We also seem to be having many reports of Avocets in the area! Hmm
@ Linda – you should have them out at P Isle for sure!
30 July 2007 at 3:03 pm
Looks like Young Naturalists J is going to be hosting his own blog soon, fine work “J”.
30 July 2007 at 4:01 pm
Great post, Young Naturalist J. Looks like you are going to be one of the prominent future ornithologists.
30 July 2007 at 4:39 pm
Those Avocets have been turning up not 10 minutes from my Grandma’s house. I wish I was home so I could go chase them, I’ve never seen one.
~ Nick
30 July 2007 at 6:43 pm
You have a following, J. We have been applauding you and Monarch for a long time. Great find. Especially to a lady who is limited to back yard birds!
You Go!
Thanks, Monarch – cool guy.
30 July 2007 at 9:53 pm
Young naturalist J – avocets are such cool looking birds, aren’t they? I’ve enjoyed getting photos of them this year. But I have not yet seen a ruddy turnstone. I checked my Stokes Field Guide and they are on both coasts. So I have hope of seeing one someday. Great job on your posting. And mon@rch, it’s always nice to see other folks have such an interest in helping young people who hold the same or similar interests.
30 July 2007 at 11:29 pm
Hi J,
I’m from NQ, Australia. Love your work here. I’ve been trying to get photos of a pair of bush-knee curlews that are native to this part and have a mournful cry which they use in the middle of the night. I have some on my flickr site – link through my blog if your interested, search curlew.
31 July 2007 at 12:31 am
Go J.! What a great job spotting and identifying those birds! And, what a creative blogger you will become! I’ve never seen either of these cool creatures. Thanks for sharing them with us.
31 July 2007 at 6:50 am
Wow wow wow. What a sight. Thanks for shooting the video, young naturalist J. That Avocet is spectacular, and the Turnstone a true beauty.
31 July 2007 at 12:04 pm
Love your video and Turnstone photo, J. I live fairly close to L. Erie, and have seen Turnstones, but not Avocets.
31 July 2007 at 1:50 pm
@ Bernie – he is fine to use mine for now and if he does leave, then I will not have anything to blog about anymore!!
@ Laura – I sure hope so and that he is able to make a difference with many little steps!
@ Nick – I sure hope you are able to see them!
@ Mary – I think he has a more following on this blog than I do!! LOL! He’s a great kid and does wonderful help with the banding we do!
@ Mary C – very cool and both would be lifers for me~! He has been teaching other kids from the very beginning!
@ owen – curlews would be great birds to see! Thanks
@ Jayne – He has his own style for sure and only wish I could have been able to see these two!
@ Robin – He might have had a video on the turnstone also but he has misplaced it somewhere. Next time for sure we will get it posted!
@ Grace – you have gotten turnstones also?? I am so wanting to do some lake erie birding now!
31 July 2007 at 3:13 pm
Wow – Great pictures. Watch out Mon@rch, I hope there is room in the blogosphere for another nature blog!
31 July 2007 at 7:40 pm
@ Barb – hey stranger! So many out their already but once he starts his own site, I better just hang up my mouse!
31 July 2007 at 11:03 pm
That’s a great job!-I don’t think I’ve seen an Avocet before.
1 August 2007 at 8:02 pm