Greetings - while doing a mini-Big Day in Volusia County (Daytona Beach) FL, yesterday, we visited the Shiloh Marsh area of Merritt Island NWR, at the very north end of the Indian River Lagoon (which runs the east coast of FL from Ft Pierce to north of Titusville.  We found 19 species of shorebirds, some in large numbers.  It is an area that reminds one of Laguna Atascosa in TX, with fresh water marsh meeting salt water marsh and lagoon, and large areas of mud flats in various stages of drying out, since there has not been much rain.  Many of the birds were in alternate plumage, and it was really spectacular!

Species seen (with approx numbers):

Black-bellied Plover -10
Semipalmated Plover - 100s
Killdeer -2
Avocet - 10
Black-necked Stilt - 20
Greater Yellowlegs - 50
Lesser Yellowlegs - 100s, working together and sweeping their bills like a Spoonbill
Willet - 10
Red Knot - 20+ (no bands were visible)
Stilt Sandpiper - 100
Spotted Sandp - 10
Solitary Sandp - 1 (of course)
Lb Dowitcher - 10+
Short-billed Dowitcher - 20+
Sanderling - 10
Dunlin - 100s
Least Sandpiper - 100s
Semipalm Sandp - 50
Western Sandp - 10

There were many other waterbirds present, including 6 species of ducks, Glossy and White Ibis, White Pelican, Roseate Spoonbill, gulls and terns.  It really was a dramatic accumulation!

Bob Wallace
New Smyrna Beach, FL