Date: 7/7/26 6:51 pm From: Nick Lethaby via groups.io <nlethaby...> Subject: Re: [sbcobirding] Shorebirds on the move
Florence,
I was at the Santa Ynez River Estuary today. There were 127 Western and 2 Least Sandpipers, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, 11 Whimbrel, 1 LB Curlew and 8 SB Dowitchers. !6 Semipalmated Plovers included a few migrant males but were likely mostly summering immatures. I think the shorebird migration is on the late side this year. The breeding season in the Pt Barrow area was very late this year, although our migrants mostly come from further south.
Nick Lethaby Goleta, CA <nlethaby...> +1 805 284 6200
On Tuesday, July 7th, 2026 at 1:18 PM, Florence Sanchez via groups.io <sanchezucsb11...> wrote:
> This past weekend and the following days, my focus has been on checking local beaches (and other spots) to pick up on early shorebird migration. > > Area K is too full to have much in the way of shorebird habitat right now, and Devereux Slough is not full enough for optimum observation. Still, on July 4th, I found a good-sized flock (approx. 70 birds) of Western Sandpipers in Devereux Slough. The flock fed voraciously and stayed together as a cohesive group both when feeding and in flight. My sense was that they were new arrivals from some good distance. > > On July 5, the flock was still there and I found additional individuals on the Beach at Coal Oil Point, where they have continued in varying numbers, most commonly with the Semi-Palmated Plover flock east of the Point. > > On July 6, I had the first Black-bellied Plover at COP, a molting adult, which was still present today. Also present today were two Short-billed Dowitchers in nice breeding Plumage. I anticipate more arrivals of fall shorebird species in the next couple of weeks. > > Florence Sanchez > >
