Shorebirds at Bob Straub Park Part 3

Are these Sanderlings? Or, at least, some of them?

Yes! says Paul Sullivan. I finally got one right!

These are Sanderlings, with white underparts and the black mark at the bend of the wing.  They lack a hind toe.  Note the scaly back.  Several of them have a remnant of the rusty color on the neck, left over from breeding plumage.

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Posted By Linda Fink to Birds at 9/05/2017 10:04:00 PM

Shorebirds at Bob Straub Park Part 4

Is this one long-billed, bigger bird a Dowitcher? Is there any way to tell if it is Short-billed or Long-billed? I did not hear it vocalize. Who are its buddies?

Paul Sullivan replies:

These are Sanderlings, with white underparts and the black mark at the bend of the wing.  They lack a hind toe. There is one Long-billed Dowitcher.

In the future, I will know to look for the black mark at the bend of the wing. Many thanks to Paul Sullivan!

Shorebirds at Bob Straub Park Part 2

I am confused about these... not even sure they are all the same groups. The scaly backs and dark caps make me think Semipalmated. ?? Wrong again. Paul Sullivan wrote:

I think this large group of birds are Western Sandpipers.  They have dark leg, a white throat and foreneck, and their bills are long, with a slight droop.  However the birds in the background in photos 8-9 are Sanderlings.  They have a black mark at the bend of the wing showing against a white breast and neck, and they are running up the beach away from the waves.

I did realize the birds in the back were Sanderlings but did not state that. I love Paul's reasons. But I could not detect a droop in the bills of the birds in front. Now that I look harder, I can.

Shorebirds at Bob Straub Park Part 1

Sept. 5, 2017, I attempted to survey shorebirds while doing my Beached Bird Survey for COASST. I took photos and thank others for helping me figure out what they are.

 This is the first small group I saw. My guess of Western Sandpipers was wrong. Paul Sullivan said:

I think they could be Baird's Sandpipers.  They have dark legs, a hind toe, wings longer than the tail, a buffy breast, and a finely streaked crown

Now that I look at the tail/wing ratio, I see what he means. I never think to look for that.

Hendrik Herlyn has now also commented on each set of photos with very helpful remarks. Anyone else trying to learn shorebirds, be sure to read his comments as well as Paul's. Thanks to these great birders for helping me out!