Shorebirds On The Move; Black + Sandwich Terns

The winds shifted around to the west and northwest this afternoon, and perhaps had something to do with the number of shorebirds in the skies over Cape May Point this evening. Lesser Yellowlegs were the most numerous species, with about 75 briefly dropping into the Meadows at one point, along with a few scattered small groups flying through. Mini-flocks of Least Sandpipers came in high out of the northwest; some continuing across the bay without pausing, others making multiple passes around the point. Three Pectoral Sandpipers made a noisy entrance overhead and quickly exited stage right, toward Cape May City. Half-dozens of Short-billed Dowitchers, the occasional bunch of Semipalmated Sandpipers and a trio of Stilt Sandpipers rounded out the birds on the wing. Birds on the ground were a bit harder to come by- water levels in the Meadows are a bit high for shorebirds for the time being, and it's hard to say at this point when/if the water level will become "optimal" for shorebirds.

Out on the beach, the tern/gull/skimmer show continues in earnest, frontlined by 300-400 Common Terns alternating between the sand and the rips. An adult Black Tern, still in mainly alternate plumage, made a brief visit with the Commons before flying into the Meadows and later back out toward the 2nd Avenue Jetty. Two Sandwich Terns flew over calling as they made their way east along the beach. Sanderling numbers have reached the triple-digit mark, and Ruddy Turnstone numbers are also on the rise. A single Western Sandpiper was mixed in with one group of Sanderlings at the water's edge. Lesser Black-backed Gulls continue to be relatively easy to find near the surfline... I came across three this evening.

Otherwise, swallows continue to increase throughout, Orchard Oriole and Blue Grosbeak linger along the west path, and a Least Bittern made a brief appearance along the west path at dusk.