Jamaica Bay: Ruff

It seems to have been a pretty good year for Ruff (see: eBird data) and over the last week there have actually been two at Jamaica Bay WR: a white-headed one and a more rufous-cinnamon one.  Although I'd reduced birding during the heat wave I braved things on Sunday, was only 90.  The Ruff was seen at distance but seen well courtesy of others' scopes - stupidly I'd forgotten to bring my own which is not a bright idea on the East Pond.  The Ruff was seen on the mud and in flight, where the dark belly on it made it look like an anomalous Black-bellied Plover.  This was only my second Ruff in the USA (first one: a Reeve in Wayne NJ in 2002) and my first in NYC.

Shorebird numbers were decent but this was early July and actual diversity was pretty low.  A few of the more interesting shorebirds: Pectoral Sandpiper; Stilt Sandpiper, were in evidence but it was mostly Dowitchers and Yellowlegs.  Eventually I buckled under the heat after the sun emerged (90 degrees in waders is not fun) and crawled back to the car.

Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Glossy Ibis
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
American Black Duck
Osprey
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Spotted Sandpiper
Ruff
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Gull-billed Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Least Tern
Black Skimmer
Willow Flycatcher
Marsh Wren
Yellow Warbler