Late yesterday afternoon Calvin Brennan and I spotted a Ruff (actually a
Reeve) from the observation deck on the west side of the wildlife
drive. It was foraging in the company of Stilt Sandpipers and Lesser
Yellowlegs affording excellent comparisons. The scalloping on the back,
dumpy appearance, shortish bill thick at the base were clearly seen.
The legs were rather dull in color. There were several thousand
shorebirds to be seen from the wildlife drive mostly Dunlin,
Short-billed Dowitchers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, and
Semipalmated Plovers. There were also a few White-rumped Sandpipers and
several Black-necked Stilts seen from the drive. Black-necked Stilts
were also seen from the causeway coming into the town of Chincoteague
from the mainland.
