The Nemesis Bird

Image via Wikipedia

Check out the Dig Deep blog for a great primer on shorebird feather wear and molt. There are some great animated images that show the effects of wear on feathers and the overall appearance of the birds. With southbound migration just beginning, its a good time to brush up on this.

Learning about shorebird molt allows you to make one of the easiest observations about the migration phenomenon; adults and immatures often migrate at different times, or use slightly different paths on their southbound flights

So, this fall when you are scanning through flocks of shorebirds, try to record numbers of adults and juveniles. Maybe you will find out something new about your favorite shorebird spots.