The presence of the Curlew Sandpiper on Friday, 10/14, was questionable. Two 
birders who were there before me had a good candidate fairly close, but I'm 
not sure they were convinced. After that all the birds stayed in the back of the 
pond. Viewing conditions were misty and windy.

There were two birds that were either both Dunlin, or a Curlew Sand and a 
Dunlin. These two were together most of the time. Both were dark around the head 
like Dunlin, but one had more scalloping on the wings and back. One had a 
definite dark center on the rump -- Dunlin -- but I didn't get a conclusive look 
at the rump on the other. I don't know to what degree Dunlin can still have 
some juvenile plumage at this date, and I have no experience with fall Curlew 
Sandpiper. If anyone has an image of the bird from last week I'd love to see it.

There were probably 50-60 shorebirds at the pond, most of them Semipalmated 
Plover and Semipalmated Sandpiper. Others present were 1 juvenile Black-bellied 
Plover, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Solitary Sandpiper, <5 Western, and 2 
Pectoral. Also reported was Spotted Sandpiper. Most of the shorebirds left the pond 
around 1 PM and didn't return while I was there.

Joel Martin
Catonsville, MD