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Western Sandpiper ♀ I'm pretty sure it's a female, based on the long slightly drooping beak, males have a shorter beak. Calidris mauri,Geotagged,United States,Western sandpiper,Winter Click/tap to enlarge PromotedSpecies introCountry intro

Western Sandpiper ♀

I'm pretty sure it's a female, based on the long slightly drooping beak, males have a shorter beak.

    comments (3)

  1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
    Ferdy Christant
    Lion
    View Lion class
    I think I'm enjoying your new lens as much as you are :) Posted 9 years ago
  2. View Ari Parviainen's profile
    Ari Parviainen
    King Cobra
    View King Cobra class
    Excellent shot in really good light. Are you sure about the ID though? To me this looks like a winter plumaged Dunlin. I think its beak is a little too long, curved and thin at the tip. Here is a link to one image which resembles your bird although it's of a bird belonging to the race alpina which occurs in Scandinavia and NW Russia.
    http://www.pbase.com/ingotkfr/image/148152531     Posted 9 years ago
    1. View morpheme's profile
      morpheme
      Lion
      View Lion class
      That is a good question, in their winter plumage they are indeed very similar (as well as being very similar to Semipalmated Sandpipers too!). At this point I still think Western Sandpiper is correct. A Dunlin would have a more even appearance to the coloration on the head, while a sandpiper has some striping, but I'll keep checking. Another reason to think this is probably a sandpiper is that dunlin usually occur in very large flocks and often move in from the coast in the winter. This was on the coast and I saw only two individuals the whole day. There are other clues from photos other than this one - a white breast, throat and dark shoulder patch that are visible from the side.
      http://nwbackyardbirder.blogspot.com/2012/11/western-sandpiper-or-dunlin-winter-id.html       Posted 9 years ago, modified 9 years ago

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The Western sandpiper

The western sandpiper is a small shorebird. They migrate to both coasts of North America and South America. It is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.

Info 5 0
Similar species: Shorebirds And Allies
Species identified by morpheme
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By morpheme

All rights reserved
Uploaded Mar 18, 2016. Captured Mar 17, 2016 11:34 in 390 Marine View Dr SE, Ocean Shores, WA 98569, USA.
country flag of United States of America Explore United States of America 39,926 9,640 8
  • X-E1
  • f/9.0
  • 1/400s
  • ISO400
  • 560mm
Captured in the winter. More winter photos.