Hi all, This afternoon, between 3 and 5:30, I observed a nice collection of shorebirds in the flooded swale between the parking lot and the beach at West End 2 (the area where Buff-breasted Sandpipers have been found in previous years).
There were probably around 800 or so shorebirds, with a majority being Semipalmated Plover, Sanderling, and Semipalmated Sandpiper. Highlights in the flock included the following: 2 Western Sandpipers (juv.) 15 White-rumped Sandpipers (all adults) 1 Baird's Sandpiper (juv.) 1 Red Knot (juv.) It was also interesting to see that there were quite a few juvenile Semipalmated Sandpipers in the flock. Also in the group were a handful of Least Sandpipers (at least one juvenile), a Ruddy Turnstone, 3 Piping Plovers, 5 Black-bellied Plovers, and 8 Pectoral Sandpipers. Also of note were 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the parking lot. Good birding, Shawn Billerman -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Temporary archive: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
