Birding Dude: Shorebirds are coming, shorebirds are coming...

They are on their way back and not a moment too soon. I have been waiting patiently since last summer for this moment. It is the beginning of shorebird season and I can't wait to see hordes of shorebirds descend on the flats at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. That is what I am envisioning, but it will only happen if there is sufficient exposed flats on the East Pond, which is a favored feeding spot. Right now, the water level is too high than what it should be at this time of the year and I am afraid that the peeps (smaller shorebirds), will have a tough time finding areas to rest on and feed. At the moment, our first arrivals are a mix of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitchers and today I had my first wave of Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers along with a Western Sandpiper. All of the smaller peeps were on the shores of the West Pond, but the East Pond is the favored feeding site. Hopefully, it all works out in the end and we have a great shorebird season at Jamaica Bay - otherwise it will be a dismal summer!