From: Tim McCarthy via Ontbirds Playing a hunch, Jean and I split the day at the Whimbrel Watch. At 4:05 Tom Lane and I had 120 Whimbrels that came in from the lake, gave us a show, and flew back out again. Moments later, Tom spied a huge flock heading west on the horizon. It may have been the 400 plus seen this morning, but I think the 120 were separate as they didn't have enough time to join the big bunch. So we have to split the shift every day or get even keener than we are and stay the course. Good news for you is sleep in if you want. Other highlights - Rocky Raccoon has gone to the happy hunting grounds. Turns out she was in the middle stages of Canine Distemper, which is having a bit of an epidemic, I'm afraid. If you have not inoculated your pet against Rabies and distemper, for God's sake do it now. It is a horrible way to die and they always die. The lucky ones get put down. You may have heard about the ticks in Sam Smith. At least one person has been bitten and the perpetrator turned out to be positive for Lyme Disease. Stay on the trails. Don't be a tick magnet. Tomorrow is the Birding Festival at Sam. Be there and bring your friends it going to be a blast. Tim McCarthy