This handsome American Avocet was found on the Allegheny River by Dan Yagusic on the morning of July 29, representing just the second record of this species in Allegheny County. (The first record was a bird photographed at the Imperial Grasslands on 23-Aug-1995, which remained for but one day.) It spent the morning resting along the north bank of the Allegheny River, in a shallow portion of the river downstream from the Pine Creek outlet that is strewn with various downed tree limbs, rocks, and garbage.

 

During my two hours with the bird, I did not see it make any serious attempt at feeding, rather it was most interested in resting. However other observers later in the day mentioned that it was actively feeding. Almost certainly this bird will disappear before tomorrow morning, but, stranger things have happened, and it may remain for a day or two if it finds the food supply to be sufficient.

 

The two photos below were digiscpoed from a range of about 70 yards (and yes, I still digiscope from time to time :-)