Shorebirds can be seen without a long drive

In past weeks, my co-columnist Ron Morris and I have touted several local parks as great places to see birds: Salem Lake, Historic Bethabara Park, Miller Park, Reynolda Gardens and Civitan Park.

Another birding hot spot in town probably has not occurred to you. It is the Archie Elledge Wastewater Treatment Plant on Griffith Road in southwestern Winston-Salem.

Wastewater-treatment plants bring thoughts of smells, concrete filtering pools and sludge piles. However, many also hold water in large retention ponds, and the food available in these ponds attracts birds: ducks in winter and shorebirds during migration. At Archie Elledge, nearby reeds, brush, meadow, habitat and tree lines also attract songbirds throughout the year, while raptors and ravens cruise above hunting for their next meals.

Archie Elledge is the best place in Forsyth County to find a variety of sandpipers and plovers during the migration months of April-May and August-October. We think of these species as birds of the beaches and inlets along the coast. But some stop in Winston-Salem during long-distance trips to and from their breeding grounds on the Arctic tundra. They search the mud flats at the ponds for worms, crustaceans, insects and seeds, so their numbers can vary from season to season depending on water levels.

A migration hot spot

Breeding season is brief in the Arctic. Adults arrive in late May and early June. By the end of July, the males are already on their way back south. The fall migration season lasts several weeks, as adult males leave first, then the females and finally the young birds. Like young hummingbirds, first-summer sandpipers innately know how to navigate south on their own. This pattern may help explain why we see shorebirds here. Young, first-time migrants may get slightly off track on a very long trip. Once they deviate, they may follow the now-familiar path on future journeys.

Killdeer belong to the plover family, and two black stripes across their chest are distinctive. They are not fussy about their surroundings. We find them on gravel parking lots, on flat areas with little grass and on rooftops. At Archie Elledge, resident birds are joined by migrants during the winter months. Another winter shorebird at Archie Elledge is the Wilson's Snipe -- a bird with a long bill and short tail that hides in the reeds along the edges of the ponds.

Other than Killdeer, the most common shorebirds at the treatment plant in spring are Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers. Both exhibit teetering motions when they feed. Spotted Sandpipers nest from here to Alaska. Solitary Sandpipers are the only North American sandpiper to nest in trees and fly to Canadian forests to breed. Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs are seen frequently in spring and fall. The smaller peeps also show up: Least, Western and Semipalmated Sandpiper, although the Sanderlings that are common at the beach are rare here. Especially in fall, a common visitor is the slightly larger Pectoral Sandpiper, discernible also by its posture and gray chest.

Compulsive birders visit Archie Elledge regularly during migration. Species change daily, and there's always a chance to spot an uncommon one, such as White-Rumped, Baird's, Buff-breasted or Stilt Sandpiper, Dunlin or Short-billed Dowitcher. These shorebirds test the identification skills of even the most experienced observer. Plumages are similar among species and change with age and seasons. Relative size, body shape and behavior are significant clues. The Shorebird Guide, by Michael O'Brien, Richard Crossley and Kevin Karlson, is a great resource for identification because it has photos of different species together.

There can be plenty to see besides shorebirds. Nesting species include Green Heron, Blue Grosbeak, Orchard Oriole, Eastern Bluebird, American Kestrel and three hawk species: Red-shouldered, Red-tailed and Cooper's. It is one of three known nest sites in the county for Common Ravens. Facility managers have set aside wildlife habitat areas, and Eastern Meadowlark and Northern Bobwhite are occasionally sighted.

Archie Elledge is a work site and maintains security restrictions. The staff has been welcoming to birders, but you must check in at the gate and be prepared to show identification. The Audubon Society of Forsyth County will conduct its August bird walk at the plant Saturday. If you wish to attend, call Gene Schepker at 768-6645 or e-mail loissch@gmail.com. The group will meet at 8 a.m. at the gate and carpool from the parking area to the birding locations.

■ Bird's-Eye View is a joint column by Ron Morris and Phil Dickinson. Today's column was written by Dickinson. Dickinson is a legal writer. He has been an active birder for 15 years, and is a past president of the Audubon Society of Forsyth County and chairs the conservation committee. Morris retired after 24 years as curator at the N.C. Zoo. He has studied birds around the world and is currently the vice president of the Audubon Society of Forsyth County. If you have a birding question or story idea, write to Bird's-Eye View in care of Features, Winston-Salem Journal, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101-3159, or send an e-mail to birding@wsjournal.com. Please type "birds" in the subject line.