These birds are just beginning to molt from breeding to non-breeding plumage. For a closer view of one of these birds, swimming, see http://www.pbase.com/image/160732451 . For a summary of discussions of the identification of these birds as Long-billed rather than Short-billed Dowitchers, see http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/south-bay-birds/conversations/messages/13956 .