Managed to latch on to a bunch of birders headed to South Beach off Chatham, yesterday. Next to Monomoy NWF. Certainly an IBA. This is where one goes for shorebirds ! and a few others. Highlights: (many) gorgeous weather. Co Loons 1 Cory's Shearwater, 2 Greater Sh. 2 No Gannets Parasitic Jaegers 10 Snowy Egrets..6 BW teal 1 male Osprey, 4 Harriers, 2 imm Peregrines (spooked a lot of birds) Black-bellied Plovers 2100 were counted. Semi-palm Plovers (500), 1 Piping. Am Oystercatchers..6 several w/ legs bands. Sb Dowitchers (40), Whimbrels 8, a few Gr and Lesser Yellowlegs Willets 20, Ruddy Turnstones.50, Red Knots 200 (mixed plumages) Sanderlings 100, Semi-p Sandpipers 200, Least a few, 2 White-rumps. Dunlin 4 Regular gulls. Terns: 1000+ common, Roseate 20, Black 6, Least 4 A flush of Tree swallows flew over me while in the dunes..prob 500. Horned Larks 6, salt-marsh sharp-tailed Sparrow 2 Oh, yeah.several of us saw our first Bar-Tailed Godwit. Good looks, among several Hudsonian's. This was a European specie/race. Adult non-breeding. Pinkish at base of bill. The peregrines flushed them, so we got to see it/them in flight. Bill Shepard Project Coordinator CT River Birding Trail 2360 Academy Road Thetford Center, VT 05075 Home: 802 785-2855