If you have never experienced the arrival of the semipalmated sandpipers, this weekend is the perfect time.
The first flock of almost 400 birds were spotted on July 16th, but that number is expected to climb to 10 thousand over the next few weeks.
The birds are migrating from the Canadian Arctic to their wintering grounds in South America.
Numbers at the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Johnson’s Mills tend to peak in late July and early August.
A spokesperson says, “They roost on the beach at high tide, and then at low tide they are feeding on the mud flats to get as much energy as they can to make their big long flight. The are is very important for Sandpiper migration, because they stay for a few weeks. Sometimes they double their body weight prior to their flight to South America.”
The next leg of their journey, is a 5000 kilometre non-stop flight to South America.
Although semi-palmated sandpipers are not considered endangered, there is concern about their populations which have declined by one third over the last 50 years, due in part to habitat loss along their migration route.
This weekend’s sandpiper festival is organized by the Village of Dorchester, with some events happening nearby at the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Interpretive Centre.
Call the Centre at 506-379-6347 for details about activities or visit www.dorchester.ca or the Dorchester NB Sandpiper Festival Facebook site
