This pair of Least Sandpipers were hanging out in a farm field wetland in north eastern Illinois. The yellow-green legs are a key character. I love the expression on the last picture. For not looking like it would have much, this wetland also had a Sora.
These two dowitchers stood out immediately from the yellowlegs at this flooded farm field in central Posey County. They were large, exotic-looking, and beautifully colored. This one caught a worm and paraded around for a while with it. Long-billed Dowitchers are fairly similar to Short-billed Dowitchers. The scapular feathers on these two seem to fit the Long-billed, dark scapulars with narrow rufous bars and white tips. The breast also seems to have more bars than spots.
On my quest for Hancock County bird species, I have been trying to make sure I catch the shorebirds as they move on through the county. Recently, hundreds of Pectoral Sandpipers have been migrating, with many of the wet areas in ag fields accumulating them. These guys are almost always in a flock during migration.
I was fortunate to get word of large numbers of American Golden Plovers at Mt. Comfort Airport one evening (April 15th). I had just gotten home from Cincinnati, and hadn't eaten yet, so I decided that I would have to stop by the next day. After dinner, it was still light enough, so I decided to drive on over and see what I could see. Since it was somewhat of an impulse, I didn't not dress properly and was just wearing shorts and a t-shirt. It was sunny, but the temp was below 40 and the wind was blowing. Never mind, there were birds to be seen, and I figured I wouldn't have to get out of the car.
I stopped by the wetland on 200S yesterday to see if any shorebirds had shown up. The ducks were gone, but a flock of seven Lesser Yellowlegs was out in the middle of the water foraging. Once I looked closer, I realized that Solitary Sandpipers were everywhere around the edge of water. A couple were even close to the road. Solitary Sandpipers are not truly solitary, but are not usually found in the large flocks like other sandpipers. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/solitary_sandpiper/id
A Sage Sparrow poses on the top of a Greasewood. I was in the valley a little earlier this year, and while it was a record mild winter, bird numbers were a bit lower. The Sage Sparrows were common, as were Horned Larks, but not yet in the numbers that they will be soon. I only caught a couple glimpses of Sage Thrashers, one Vesper Sparrow, several Western Meadowlarks, and one Loggerhead Shrike. The raptors haven't quite shown up in the numbers that they were at the end of March last year. We did see a Prairie Falcon, a Golden Eagle, and several Rough-legged Hawks.
Mountain Bluebirds were also present in decent sized flocks on the previously intensively cattle-grazed areas. Maybe the insects are better there. They would fly all around me in those areas.
I didn't get to spend too much time at Cave Lake State Park, due to the snow and mud, but I did get one walk along the Steptoe Creek Trail. A mixed flock of Bushtits and Golden-crowned Kinglets were working the willows over. Robins and Juncos were pretty much the only other birds I saw along the walk. Ravens and Magpies were also present.
An American Avocet walks the beach at Commins Lake. Several small (relative to the Avocet) plovers were accompanying the Avocet. I was excited, until I realized that they were Killdeer. Savannah Sparrows were also at the beach.
Here is an assorted collection of bird photos from my travels in Nevada (and just across the border in Utah).
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
I hold kinglet pictures to a different standard than other bird pictures. Kinglets are shy, but they never sit still on an exposed perch. I was very happy to get one that actually captured its ruby crown.
Horned Lark
Horned Larks might be the most common bird in the valley right now. They certainly had that distinction in March and April. Now Brewer's Sparrows might have edged them out. This lark posed for me with the mountains for a backdrop.
Western Kingbird
This guy was sitting on the fence that marked the border between Nevada and Utah. I still haven't seen a kingbird entirely in Nevada. There were several in Garrison, UT, on the way back.
Western Grebe
I managed to get pretty close to a flotilla of grebes on Pruess Lake, south of Garrison, UT.
Long-billed Curlew
This was one bird species I really wanted to see while out in Nevada. One flew overhead on my first trip out, but I did not get good looks until this trip. Many were feeding in a cattle pasture near Ruby Lake. This lone bird was feeding in an upland field just outside of the national park.
I swung by the NWR on my way to Ely. The weather wasn't perfect, but it was still worthwhile visiting. The birds were very good, considering the scattered downpours, high winds, and occasional snow flurries. The refuge is a marsh at the base of the Ruby Mountains, and attracts large numbers of waterfowl.
Some of the fields were full of Long-billed Curlews. Nothing close enough to the road to photograph. I still have these guys on my 'wanted' list.
At first I thought it must be unusual to see a Yellow-rump in the marsh, but then I kept seeing dozens of them in the reeds. I love the colors on these Audubon's Warblers.
View out across the lake/marsh. There is an excellent auto tour trail that traverses a dike.
There were several Sandhills at the park. This guy was doing a courtship dance right near the road; he was singing, picking up sticks, and leaping into the air.
Comins Lake is right off of US6/50/93 outside of Ely. We would frequently stop there on the way back to town just to see what waterfowl was around. The lake always seemed good for ducks, but it was also great for many other bird species, including ones that you wouldn't necessarily think would be at a lake. 
This large sandpiper landed right beside me on the beach. It took me a bit to identify him, and I might not, had he not shown his striking Willet wing pattern. I kept trying to make him into a Long-billed Dowitcher, but they are a bit smaller.
This Pied-billed Grebe popped up near me a couple times. He would disappear for long stretches. Eared Grebes were more common on the lake.
Birds I have seen at Comins Lake
___ Pied-billed Grebe
___ Eared Grebe
___ Great Blue Heron
___ Canada Goose
___ Mallard
___ Cinnamon Teal
___ Northern Shoveler
___ Gadwall
___ American Wigeon
___ Canvasback
___ Redhead
___ Ring-necked Duck
___ Lesser Scaup
___ Common Goldeneye
___ Bufflehead
___ Common Merganser
___ Ruddy Duck - males out there strutting their stuff
___ Turkey Vulture
___ Osprey
___ Northern Harrier - always hunting the lake shore
___ Swainson's Hawk
___ Red-tailed Hawk
___ Ferruginous Hawk
___ American Coot - everywhere on the lake
___ Sandhill Crane - they like the headwaters marsh/meadow
___ Willet
___ Long-billed Curlew
___ California Gull
___ Northern Flicker
___ Say's Phoebe
___ Horned Lark
___ Tree Swallow
___ Cliff Swallow
___ Common Raven
___ Marsh Wren
___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet
___ Mountain Bluebird
___ American Robin
___ Sage Thrasher
___ American Pipit
___ Yellow-rumped Warbler - seemed strange to see in the marsh
___ Vesper Sparrow
___ Sage Sparrow
___ Savannah Sparrow
___ White-crowned Sparrow
___ Dark-eyed Junco
___ Red-winged Blackbird
___ Western Meadowlark
___ Yellow-headed Blackbird
