Whimbrels at Mecox Inlet - 16 Aug 2009

This morning (7:15 - 9:00 am) I scanned the extensive sandflat at Mecox Inlet (Watermill, Suffolk Co.) from the overlook on the eastern side. A good number of shorebirds and terns were present, including 2 WHIMBREL which flew in around 8:15 and single a BLACK TERN. Here are my approximate totals.

Forster's Tern - 25
Common Tern - 30+
BLACK TERN - 1
Least Tern - 40+
Laughing Gull - 1
Greater Yellowlegs - 10
Lesser Yellowlegs - 3
Western Willet - 6
Eastern Willet - 2 (fresh juvs)
WHIMBREL - 2
Short-billed Dowitcher - 15
Ruddy Turnstone - 4
White-rumped Sandpiper - 5
Semipalmated Sandpiper - 200+ (mix of ads and juvs)
Least Sandpiper - 160
Sanderling - 220
Black-bellied Plover - 20
Killdeer - 2
Piping Plover - 10
Semipalmated Plover - 60