Sanderling - Calidris alba

These birds were so cute and comical! When the waves went out, they would chase the water and gobble up isopods. As the waves came back in, they would run up the beach and away from the water. Over and over...

Habitat: Beach at low tide

comments (5)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Wish I could help, but I'm terrible at waders myself. May be good to give Thibaud a ping? Posted 5 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  Oh, good idea. I will do that! Posted 5 years ago
2. 1. Thibaud Aronson
    
    Lion
    
    Ah the dreaded Calidris... I'm no expert myself, but I'm fairly confident they're sanderlings. You can of course see many other wader species on sandy beaches, but no others so consistently do the wave dance you saw. And everything in the photo lines up : stout black bill, black legs, very white underparts, and some reddish tones to the head and back, consistent with immatures and birds coming out of breeding plumage. Posted 5 years ago
  2. 1. Christine Young
      
      Lion
      
      Dreaded indeed! Thanks so much for your input, Thibaud! I really appreciate it! I'll ID them as sanderlings. Posted 5 years ago
    2. 1. Thibaud Aronson
        
        Lion
        
        Happy to help!
        Say, do you use the Merlin app? Posted 5 years ago, modified 5 years ago

The Sanderling

The Sanderling is a small wader. It is a circumpolar Arctic breeder, and is a long-distance migrant, wintering south to South America, South Europe, Africa, and Australia. It is highly gregarious in winter, sometimes forming large flocks on coastal mudflats or sandy beaches.

Info 19 0

Similar species: Shorebirds And Allies

Species identified by Christine Young