Sandpiper ID Sandy Hook, NJ (1 Viewer)

[NJBirder12]

Saw this bird 7.24 of this year on the north end of Sandy Hook, NJ. Can someone help ID? There were many sanderlings around but the legs look lighter to me and body shape seems longer. Thanks

 

[tom baxter]

Saw this bird 7.24 of this year on the north end of Sandy Hook, NJ. Can someone help ID? There were many sanderlings around but the legs look lighter to me and body shape seems longer. Thanks

It is still a Sanderling. I’m not sure what accounts for its larger and longer legged appearance, I’d have to just attribute it to individual variation. It is also flagged with a light lime green flag which I think indicates that it was banded on the Delaware bay shore in New Jersey, although there are either white or black letters on it which cannot be seen well. They seem like maybe black letters. The color of those letters does also uncover information about its banding origin but it’s been many years since I’ve been involved with shorebird band resighting and I can’t recall exactly what the color codes indicate. You might be able to uncover more information about it at bandedbirds.org if you make an account.

 

[NJBirder12]

Thank you!! Cool to learn about the banding color details too. Much appreciated.

 

[Butty]

Sanderlings you see down south in summer are highly variable - either because they're non-breeding 1-year-olds and assume varying amounts of breeding plumage, or because they're early-returning adult breeders and are moulting.