In case you have not seen it, Birdspot has an awesome shot of a dowitcher with the tips of its bill open. Fabulous shot, gotta love what those crazy shorebirds can do with their bills!

Speaking of shorebirds, my friend Doug Buri is offering some of his great brown bird workshops again this year. One being a Shorebird Workshop, my buddy Amber and I went to this a few years ago, if you feel completely lost on basic shorebird id, go with Doug. You'll spend three days in South Dakota learning the 6 - 8 most common dudes in the midwest. The best part is that they are up close, so you can really focus on the birds, we had least sandpipers within five feet us. Doug does a GREAT job of making it fun and approachable and if you miss id a few birds, he works you through it as opposed to making you feel like an idiot. You'll learn that happiness is a summer mudflat in South Dakota.

Doug is also offering a Sparrow Workshop which I hope I can go to this year. He had it last year, but I was out of town. And after reading about Hasty Brook's adventures here and here, I really want to go. Looks like a brown bird bonanza.