Hey Jim (et al.),

I was there yesterday with some friends.  We saw several Killdeer and in the 
closest settlement pond, 1 Spottie!  Last week there were 24 Killdeer and 1 
Solitary in the muddy area you described and a Snipe still hanging out on 
the west side of the road in the traditional wet spot in the pasture.  I was 
thinking the same thing about this being a spot the shorebirds might settle. 
The cows, A.K.A., original mud boggers, make the wet areas particularly good 
for shorebirds!  Plus shorter grass in the pastures, having recently been 
cut or chewed down....


Ali
Huntington


-----Original Message----- 
From: Jim Mead
Sent: Sunday, July 28, 2013 12:21 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [VTBIRD] A few shorebirds in Hinesburg

Hi all,

I just got back from Lagoon Rd. in Hinesburg. There is a nice muddy area 
with some water in it on the right (or east) side of Lagoon Rd. just before 
the solar panels. I counted 2 Semipalmated Plovers there along with 12 
Killdeer. There is also a watering tub (for the Black Angus there) on the 
east side of the road (about 1/2 way between the Hinesburg/Charlotte Rd. and 
the solar panels). Directly west of the watering tank (and on the west side 
of the road) is another muddy area with water in it, about 50' from the 
road. I counted 20 Least Sandpipers there.

This is the very beginning of the southward shorebird migration and with the 
water level being so high in Lake Champlain, the birds are probably going to 
be searching for flooded/muddy spots in fields. Hopefully the one in front 
of the solar panels will remain for a while because it will likely be a 
welcoming stop for other shorebirds passing through.

Good luck to any that may try finding the ones that I saw and even more luck 
to those trying to find some new species !!!

Enjoy Birds,

Jim Mead