Western Sandpiper - Zach Schwartz-Weinstein
Report

Contributor

Zach Schwartz-Weinstein Media from this contributor Profile

Date

Location

Cohoes Flats
Albany, New York, United States
Media from this location Illustrated Checklist
Map
Map Coordinates: 42.7761411, -73.6933064
Age
Not specified
Sex
Not specified

Observation details

initially I was unsure if the ID but persuaded myself that it was a DUNL. The possibility of a DUNLxWRSA was subsequently suggested by two excellent birders. I posted the photos on the “Advanced Bird ID group on Facebook and the consensus that emerged was a worn female Western Sandpiper, based on plumage, drooping bill structure, and size relative to the nearby Least sandpipers. Western Sandpiper is very rare in region 8 and there are no previous eBird records for Albany County. (There may be pre-eBird records in Feathers or The Kingbird - i don’t see any in bull’s.). My previous experience with WESA has either been with juvenile birds showing rufous scapular feathers, (at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge) or in regions where they were the only expected small calidrid (eg at Bolsa Chica in Orange County, CA). I welcome comments or corrections on the ID of this bird.

Technical information

Model
Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Lens
EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM +1.4x III
ISO
100
Focal length
560 mm
Flash
Flash did not fire, auto
f-stop
f/8.0
Shutter speed
1/160 sec
Dimensions
5472 pixels x 3648 pixels
Original file size
3.2 MB