It’s July 15, the middle of the summer but incredibly . . . the first birds of the fall migration have begun to move south. As always the tip of the spear is led by the shorebirds.

So early this morning I headed to Popham Beach to see if the Whimbrels seen there yesterday were still around.

Unfortunately I couldn’t make any firm IDs . . . several flocks of Plovers, Sanderlings or Sandpipers flew by me . . . but I couldn’t make positive identifications.

I did see three Piping Plover Chicks running up and down the beach.