Stone Harbor and Environs: Iceland Gull, Short-billed Dowitchers, Oystercatchers

A darkish first cycle Iceland Gull brightened the windy and rainy beach about half way down Stone Harbor Point this afternoon. At least 8 Piping Plovers were along the beach at Stone Harbor, and Purple Sandpipers were on the jetty there.

Short-billed Dowitchers are building in, with 20+ on the mud flats of Great Channel, and American Oystercatchers were up to 75+ there this afternoon. I saw a distant Willet in flight, as well, and several Osprey towers hosted soggy residents waiting out the rain. Dunlin are beginning to develop black bellies, and the yellowlegs I saw today were well-patterned too, though not to the point of full breeding plumage.