I thought this message (originally sent to Northern New York Birds) might
be of interest to VT birders, if only to keep an eye out for possible Red
Knots and other shorebirds on the eastern side of the lake.

I just arrived back from a phenomenal outing to Noblewood Park, located in
the Town of Willsboro in Essex County, NY.  I saw a
great collection of birds there, but the unquestioned highlight was seeing
four RED KNOTS in breeding plumage.  I will post more details (and perhaps
some photographs) later, but here are the birds of note from my visit:

4 Red Knots
1 Ruddy Turnstone
11 Sanderlings
2 Least Sandpipers
2 Semipalmated Sandpipers
2 Lesser Yellowlegs
1 Greater Yellowlegs
1 Great Egret
6 Caspian Terns
1 Common Tern (first of season)
100+ Bonaparte's Gulls

When I left the Boquet River mouth at about 12:15 pm, there were large
numbers of people (50+) in the area, and most of the birds I had seen had
been displaced to the north bank of the river mouth.  The knots were still
present when I left, but at least some birds (most notably all three
yellowlegs) had departed.  Good luck if you go to look for these gorgeous
birds!

Matt Medler
Willsboro, NY
1 August 2004