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Wader ID (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Michael W
- Start date
Michael Frankis
conehead
I think Solitary Sand too, but if it isn't, then I'll go for Spotted Sand. But with very little conviction - only Solitary has that prominent a white eye-ring
Michael
Michael
Michael W
Mountain Chickadee
That's right, it's a Spotted Sandpiper in winter plumage. I didn't mention that it was bobbing, which is a characteristic of the Spotted Sandpiper. Also, Solitary Sandpipers don't come through here very often, but that doesn't mean anything. Sibley's shows the Spotted Sandpiper with a white eye-ring.
Michael
Michael
Larry Lade
Moderator
I also thought it was a Solitary Sandpiper!
Larry
Larry
Michael Frankis
conehead
Hi Michael,
Hmmm . . . got any more pics of the same bird??
I'd like to see a side-on pic for confirmation of Spotted
Michael
Hmmm . . . got any more pics of the same bird??
I'd like to see a side-on pic for confirmation of Spotted
Michael
Michael Frankis
conehead
Of course you did spot it, so it is spotted, but it is on its own, so it is also solitary . . . :-O
Michael Frankis
conehead
Hi Michael
I've seen both Green Sands and Wood Sands bob (Europe's replacements for Solitary, all three being small Tringa spp.), though not with the intensity that Spotted Sands/Common Sands (both Actitis spp.) do
Michael
I've seen both Green Sands and Wood Sands bob (Europe's replacements for Solitary, all three being small Tringa spp.), though not with the intensity that Spotted Sands/Common Sands (both Actitis spp.) do
Michael
Michael W
Mountain Chickadee
Hello again!
My dad (an avid birder who was present at the time of the sighting and grew up seeing lots of Solitary Sandpipers) and I have done a little researching and have come up with the following characteristics that convince us that it's a Spotted Sandpiper:
1. It "bobbed" as apposed to "nodding".
2. It flew with stiff wings.
3. Spotted Sandpipers are common in that area.
4. The sandpiper had a sort of a striped eye ring.
5. The sandpiper was more stocky than a typical Solitary Sandpiper.
Refer to "Peterson Field Guide to Birds", "The Audubon Society-Master Guide to Birding", "Stokes Field Guide to Birds", and "The Sibley Guide to Birds".
Thanks,
Michael
My dad (an avid birder who was present at the time of the sighting and grew up seeing lots of Solitary Sandpipers) and I have done a little researching and have come up with the following characteristics that convince us that it's a Spotted Sandpiper:
1. It "bobbed" as apposed to "nodding".
2. It flew with stiff wings.
3. Spotted Sandpipers are common in that area.
4. The sandpiper had a sort of a striped eye ring.
5. The sandpiper was more stocky than a typical Solitary Sandpiper.
Refer to "Peterson Field Guide to Birds", "The Audubon Society-Master Guide to Birding", "Stokes Field Guide to Birds", and "The Sibley Guide to Birds".
Thanks,
Michael
Darrell Clegg
Well-known member
I have to concur with this as a Solitary Sandpiper. The eye ring is obvious. The legs are also too long to be a Spotted Sand, and there seems to be one or two white spots on the back - these would be black in Spotted.
Darrell
Darrell
Despite what appears to be one white spot on the upperparts which might suggest a molting adult Solitary Sand I'm in favour of this being a Spotted due to the very brightly coloured legs (fleshy yellow on my monitor and lacking the green tones of even the palest Solitary). The eye-ring is indeed prominent but so is that of Spotted, especially when viewed at an angle that means adjacent supercillium can't be seen.
Knowing the date would help.
I don't think the behaviour stuff will help much though the stiff wing action seems very significant.
Did the bird have a wingbar?
Although only a minor clue the habitat here is typical for Spotted but would be odd for Solitary. Solitary is a scarce bird in Wash. State as mentioned above.
I think that this is a Spotted then but that it happens to look like a Solitary in Jizz and due to a cruel trick played by the angle and light.
Spud
Knowing the date would help.
I don't think the behaviour stuff will help much though the stiff wing action seems very significant.
Did the bird have a wingbar?
Although only a minor clue the habitat here is typical for Spotted but would be odd for Solitary. Solitary is a scarce bird in Wash. State as mentioned above.
I think that this is a Spotted then but that it happens to look like a Solitary in Jizz and due to a cruel trick played by the angle and light.
Spud
CJW
Hit-and-run WUM
1) The leg colour is well within the range of Solitary Sandpiper,
2) The uniformity of the size of the eye ring is right for Solitary (Spotted would show a thinner lower-half even at this angle),
3) The lack of white behind the eye is right for Solitary (Spotted would still show some white super, even at this angle).
4) The scarcity of the species in Washington State is completely irrelevant as is the choice of habitat for a 'vagrant'.
But that's only my opinion and I've been wrong before.
2) The uniformity of the size of the eye ring is right for Solitary (Spotted would show a thinner lower-half even at this angle),
3) The lack of white behind the eye is right for Solitary (Spotted would still show some white super, even at this angle).
4) The scarcity of the species in Washington State is completely irrelevant as is the choice of habitat for a 'vagrant'.
But that's only my opinion and I've been wrong before.
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