July 27 - Jamaica Bay East Pond

A visit to the East Pond of Jamaica Bay NWR gave us lots of birds to look at today, although there was not much diversity.  The best bird of the day was a Ruff that we found just after arriving around 7 am.  The bird left shortly after, but then returned around 10:30 and others were able to see this bird at that time.  

Credit: Andrew Baksh

Unfortunately we left the pond just before an American Avocet was reported, so we missed this one.

We did see Sandpipers of Stilt, Least, Semi-Palmated, Spotted, Least, and a Western.  A Ruddy Turnstone was seen briefly, and we had terns of Least, Forster's, and a Common or two.  The most common bird was the Short-Billed Dowitcher, and we had a few American Oystercatchers, and Semi-Palmated Plovers.  There were both species of Yellowlegs.  On the walk out we heard a Yellow-Billed Cuckoo.