ID for migrating birds

I saw this flock of about 23 migrating birds heading South, high in the sky over S. VT. They look like shorebirds to me, but what kind?

Wow, there's a challenge. There definitely not peeps (dunlin, least, semipalm, etc.). The longer bills make me think they are probably more like Dowitchers, or Godwits. I'm still working on shorebirds standing in good light, so silhouettes in flight are beyond me. This is very interesting though and I'm curious to hear what others think.

This must get some kind of prize as the toughest Bird ID question yet. I agree with Jeff that they are larger birds. You can see that the legs extend back beyond the tails. And the wings give me the impression of having a distinct "elbow" on the leading edges. The bill length is as long as the head and neck; not short-billed but not Curlews or Godwits, either.

My guess - and it is just a guess - is Willet. I'll be interested in what Richard Ditch and Mia MacPherson say.

A knowledgeable friend suggested short-billed dowitcher.

I'm going to be looking at shorebirds in flight a bit more, I think, but it seems to me that whenever I see shorebirds in flight they are flying low over the water and so my view is usually kind of from the side, or even downwards rather than from directly below them.
These could be willets, but the bills look a little long, to me. Also I'm accustomed to seeing willets with their tails spread in flight. Perhaps in a migration flight, they would hold the tail narrower.
They could be short-billed dowitchers. Did your friend see the birds in flight? or just the photo? I dunno - I think both of those are good contenders.

He only saw the photo, but said he has heard the calls of Short-billed Dowitchers flying over this past month - same area where this photo was taken.

My first reaction was one of the yellowlegs.

Yellowlegs was the only reply I got when I posted it on the ID forum of Birdforum.net

I sent the link to a friend of mine who is very experienced with shorebirds. His response was 5 Lesser and 2 Greater Yellowlegs.

I think your friend got the answer. It's obvious now that there the size difference is not just due to the birds being at different distances - they were really in a pretty compact group. So greater and lesser yellowlegs makes sense. Thanks for everyone's input!