Last eve circa 8 pm the boys and I were driving north on RT 5 toward Pompy
Flats.

Taking in the gorgeous thunderheads.  We stopped at the Flats to view the
clouds.    Saw FOY Cliff Swallow.

So we moved down the road toward the highway overpass and the "marshy" area.
Yoicks.

I am now watching a flock of very tightly banking and turning shorebirds, 22
of them.   Dark, with pointy wings and 3-4" bill. Smaller than Killdeer, but
similarish shape.

So what are they.....well, they are not sandpipers (too small), not
yellowlegs (wrong shape).... we do not get so many shorebirds over here in
the CT R valley.....   I have done a pretty reasonable amount of
shorebirdiing on Cape Cod over the years (may go to South Beach
Sunday)...but I am not getting a handle on these.  Not that many choices.
They did vocalize. A heavy "troo" something like that. Oh yeah, they had a
large stripe up the back.  I just know this is vital to id.

Check 3 of my field guides.... read descriptions, shorebirds in flight, and
listen to Stokes CD.....  any guesses ?

SBDO

short-billed sowitchers.

Bill S

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