Short-billed Dowitcher (one of thousands)
The BBC usually has a few trips each year, as do most of the bird clubs in the area. Glenn, who is very active in the South Shore Bird Club as well as the Brookline Bird Club, has birded here for many years and has a good sense of the area, as well as what could be seen and when. We started out meeting at the causeway at 7:30 to take the Rip Ryder Ferry across to South Beach. We had large numbers of shorebirds, many still showing good amounts of alternate (breeding) plumage. Also, we had some "birds of the year"- or in other words, young that hatched this year.
Juvenile American Oystercatcher The little puff-balls of baby Piping Plovers drew "aw's" from many, and juvenile Oystercatchers with their growing dark bills (as opposed to the large "carrot-like" bills of the adults) were cool to see. 
Adult American Oystercatcher
Among my favorite shorebirds (probably because they are readily identifiable to me, unlike a number of others) were the Ruddy Turnstones and Red Knots, both of which we had in good numbers as well.
Red Knot
I love the pied, harlequin patterns of the turnstones, and I'm not sure why, but I always enjoy seeing knots in breeding plumage. (Probably because their basic plumage makes them look superficially like all the other shorebirds out there.)
Ruddy Turnstone
I like the big colorful, easily identifiable ones - turnstones, oystercatchers, whimbrel, godwits, etc.
Black-bellied Dunlin (showing the eponymous black belly)
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Other popular sightings included several Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows, many Hudsonian Godwits, a pair of Marbled Godwits, a few Roseate Terns, one Black Terns and a Black Skimmer.
Hudsonian Godwit
A couple more photos from the day can be seen here.
As you might be able to determine, I am not a huge shorebird nut - I just am not to that point in my birding career where I enjoy puzzling out the various subtle differences. I know that body shape and jizz come much more into play when identifying these birds. I do well enough - I can pick out a White Rumped Sandpiper pretty quickly, and am pretty confident in seperating Leasts from Semi-palmated Sandpipers. I guess I just don't have the patience to go through thousands of shorbirds trying to find a Little Stint or Red-necked Stint.If you are that kind of birder - say hello to Monomoy NWR and South Beach. You'll love it here!
