Spotted Sandpiper? - North Georgia (1 Viewer)

A

astroshot

Member

• Jul 31, 2007

• #1

Saw this today, July 30th, in the north georgia mountains. It was really hard to get a look through my 8x42 bins, but I snapped this with my telephoto. I'm guessing spotted sandpiper, though I can't really pick up any color on the legs, no spots (these are two different birds). Also what's going on in pic 4 with the reddish maroon color, trick of the sun, I suppose. Thanks

 

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Strix

Well-known member

• Jul 31, 2007

• #2

Looks like a Solitary to me. Note the white spur on the shoulder and the white around the eye. Also Spotteds teeter compulsively and have a really fast wingbeat.

 

B

BirdPhotography

Guest

• Jul 31, 2007

• #3

I was thinking Solitary Sandpiper to.

 

Microtus

Maryland USA (he/him)

• Jul 31, 2007

• #4

Solitary Sandpiper, assuming the north Georgia mountains are in USA.
|:d|

 

A

astroshot

Member

• Jul 31, 2007

• #5

hmm, yeah and it does seem to have more coloration on the neck than a spotted might. I guess the thing that was getting me was the sense of brown and not gray on the body, but I've never actually seen either bird, so what do I know.

OK well thanks everyone! I appreciate it.

 

G

georgiabound

New member

• Jul 31, 2007

• #6

Sand Piper

I live in Largo Florida and have seen these sandpipers at the beach. They walk really fast to hurry and catch their food. Quite interesting to watch. Ours are more white. I didn't know they travel up to the mountains though...

Marian,
North Georgia Cabin Rentals
Georgia Web Directory Resource Center

 

Microtus

Maryland USA (he/him)

• Jul 31, 2007

• #7

Georgiabound, you might be seeing Sanderlings http://www.natureartinternational.com/weiman/sanderlings.jpg on the beach.

 

birderbf

Wild, Wild West ................... ern Spindalis

• Jul 31, 2007

• #8

georgiabound said:

I live in Largo Florida and have seen these sandpipers at the beach. They walk really fast to hurry and catch their food. Quite interesting to watch. Ours are more white. I didn't know they travel up to the mountains though...

Marian,
North Georgia Cabin Rentals
Georgia Web Directory Resource Center

Click to expand...

They are likely Sanderlings, a completely different type of Sandpiper.

Anyway as for this bird, it is a Solitary. Usually they are finely spotted with white on their dark back, but not in this case. The streaked neck, white around eye, and tail pattern all point to Solitary.

As for Spotteds flying, I'd describe their wingbeats as very shallow and reluctant rather than fast. Solitaries fly more liquidly compared to Spotteds, but still not as fluidly as yellowlegs.