ML246751741

Age and sex

Adult, Unknown sex - 1

Behaviors

Foraging or eating

Observation details

We stopped along Middle Rd. to check the wetlands and I noted a small flock of peeps. I scanned WNW with my binoculars and came upon this bird, which initially struck me as comparatively pale and short billed when observed next to Western Sandpipers. I studied the bird and grabbed some crummy photos (thinking it looked good for SESA), before the flock took off and circled around a bit and landed farther north, but in the same general area. Even at a distance, the bird stood out amongst the WESA in the flock, especially when viewed with a scope. Something then spooked the flock and they stopped foraging and froze for a length of time, obscured by some grasses. Fortunately, when I walked back east down the road a little while later the flock started foraging again and made their way west and close to the road where I could get photos and great looks at the bird. The light was somewhat harsh (as is evident in the photos), but I was able to study the bird at length. Seen here (38.3107472, -122.9171640). Small Calidris, slightly smaller than Western Sandpiper. "Light" colored peep, with very drab brown-gray uppers and white below. Short, blunt bill with small bulbous tip. The bill seemed long-ish for SESA, but well within the range. Perhaps adult female? Fairly steep forehead, and coarse streaking on the crown. Uppers were gray-brown with some gray basic scapulars clearly seen, and apparent in many of the photos. White below with light streaking on the breast. Black legs with webbing between the toes. Compare to WESA, this bird was slightly smaller, shorter billed and lacked the vibrant reddish/rufous color tones above and chevron patterning below. Compare to LESA, this bird was larger and more clean and bright below, lacking the streaky, dark chest of a LESA. The bird also had black legs. A note about structure; this bird seemed much more upright than WESA, which appears "front heavy" or LESA, which seems to "crouch" while standing/foraging. This structural difference is somewhat observable in the photo of the WESA and SESA below.

Technical information

Model

ILCE-9

Lens

FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter

ISO

250

Focal length

560 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/8.0

Shutter speed

1/640 sec

Dimensions

2200 pixels x 1467 pixels

Original file size

2.13 MB