Yesterday morning Jim Mead discovered a newly (for this year) emerged 
sandbar off Delta Park.  By coincidence I was teaching a UVM field 
course all afternoon on the outer beach there.  So I was able to spend 
some time observing the sandbar.

A cluster of Ring-bill Gulls were the primary inhabitants of the 
sandbar, mostly lounging and occasionally bathing.  At one point I saw 
two small shorebirds flying and landing.  They turned out to be a 
Sanderling and a Least Sandpiper.  They were only there for about five 
minutes, during which I was able to view them well by scope. They then 
disappeared and I did not see them again over the next 40 or so 
minutes.  See list and more comments below.

Ian
=============
Delta Park IBA, Chittenden, US-VT
Sep 9, 2013 3:03 PM - 3:48 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.2 mile(s)
Comments:     Observed while teaching UVM Landscape Nature History 
course field trip.
9 species

Double-crested Cormorant  125     Amassed on Colchester Reef

Bald Eagle  1     On Colchester Reef; adult

Sanderling  1     On newly emerged (since yesterday) sandbar. Flying up, 
landing, running with waves on edge of sandbar.  Also foraging on 
sandbar.  Generally with Least Sandpiper in that they would both fly up 
and land at the same time.  Seen for about five minutes.  Then not seen 
again over the course of 40 minutes or so of observation.  Pale bird 
with what looked like meager traces of last of molting at shoulders and 
neck.  White underwing evident in flight.  Strong white line on upper 
wing evident in bright but semi-diffused sunlight.

Least Sandpiper  1     On newly emerged (since yesterday) sandbar. 
Flying up, landing and foraging on sandbar.  Sometimes disappearing 
behind crest of sandbar.  In and among gulls from time to time. 
Generally with the Sanderling in that they would both fly up and land at 
the same time.  Clearly smaller than Sanderling.  Seen for about five 
minutes.  Then not seen again over the course of 40 minutes or so of 
observation.

Ring-billed Gull  36     On newly emerged (since yesterday) sandbar.  No 
gulls observed in flight during the period of observation.

Herring Gull  1     On newly emerged (since yesterday) sandbar.

Great Black-backed Gull  1     On newly emerged (since yesterday) sandbar.

Warbling Vireo  1

Black-capped Chickadee  1