Wilson's Plover and other shorebirds - 21 May 2010

Shorebird migration is approaching its peak in terms of variety and numbers. This evening I found a female or 1st-summer WILSON'S PLOVER on the sand flat at the south end of Sag Pond (Sagg Mains). Also present were 5 BLACK SKIMMERS, and 11 sp. shorebird including 4 White-rumped Sandpipers, 97 Dunlin, 6 Willet, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, 125 Semipalmated Plover and several hundred Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers. If you go looking for the plover, I'd suggest not venturing onto the flat itself lest the bird moves to the more distant bank where it would be very hard to spot. There are several vantage points in the phragmites from which you can obtain good views of the wet sand and any shorebirds or terns that are there. If you don't spot the plover, it might also be worth carefully scanning around the margins.

There are still plenty of shorebirds on the remaining flats at Georgica Pond including a color-banded PIPING PLOVER, most likely one of the birds captured in The Bahamas this winter. I've noticed that in mid-late May, Purple Sandpipers undergo a noticeable shift in their habitat preferences - perhaps in anticipation of shifting to tundra habitat - appearing on sandy beaches (e.g. Goff Point 2008) and even saltmarshes (e.g. Accabonac Harbor 2009). Today there were 9 PURPLE SANDPIPERS on the sand flats in Georgica, wading around belly deep with Dunlin, Sanderling and dowitchers. Also present were 6 Bonaparte's Gulls (all 1st summers), 1 Roseate Tern, 200+ Least Sandpipers, 100+ Semipalmated Sandpiper, 2 Willet (both 1st summers), 6 Short-billed Dowitcher, 30 Dunlin, 50 Sanderling, 25 Semipalmated Plover, 10 Piping Plover etc.

The flooded field (aka 'Lake SoFo') behind the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton has been attracting a good variety of shorebirds. On Wednesday (19 May) Jim Ash counted 16 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Semipalmated Plovers, 1 Killdeer, 10 (yes, ten) SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, and a multitude of Least Sandpipers. This evening I found 6 Greater Yellows, 5 Lesser Yellowlegs, a lone Solitary Sandpiper (that's more like it) and a Glossy Ibis.

Looking forward to your reports. There should be lots of birds around this weekend.

** 12-13 May 2010 **
Short-billed Dowitcher, Mecox Inlet, Watermill SH (John Shemilt)

** 19 May 2010 **
Solitary Sandpiper (10), SoFo Museum, Bridgehampton SH (Jim Ash) - excellent number for one site

** 20 May 2010 **
Black Tern, Mecox Inlet, Watermill SH (John Shemilt)
Black Skimmer (2), Gardiners Island/Cartwright Shoals (John Todaro)
Red Knot, Mecox Inlet, Watermill SH (John Shemilt)
Short-billed Dowitcher, Mecox Inlet, Watermill SH (John Shemilt)
Yellow-throated Vireo, Long Pond, Sag Harbor SH (Hugh McGuinness)
Swainson's Thrush, East Hampton (John Todaro) - present since 5/17/10

** 21 May 2010 **
Ruddy Duck (1), Wainscott Pond, Wainscott EH (Angus Wilson)
Glossy Ibis, SoFo Museum, Bridgehampton SH (Angus Wilson)
Black Skimmer (5), Sagg Mains, Sagaponack SH (Angus Wilson, Hugh McGuninness, Brian Kane)
Bonaparte's Gull (5), Georgica Pond, Georgica EH (Angus Wilson)
Bonaparte's Gull (1),Sagg Mains, Sagaponack SH (Angus Wilson, Hugh McGuninness, Brian Kane)
Bonaparte's Gull (1), Mecox Inlet SH (Angus Wilson, Hugh McGuninness, Brian Kane)

WILSON'S PLOVER (fem. or 1st-summer), Sagg Mains, Sagaponack SH (Angus Wilson, Hugh McGuninness, Brian Kane)
White-rumped Sandpiper (4), Sagg Mains, Sagaponack SH (Angus Wilson)
Purple Sandpiper (9), Georgica Pond, Georgica EH (Angus Wilson)
Solitary Sandpiper (1), SoFo Museum, Bridgehampton SH (Angus Wilson)