ML370973121
peep sp. Calidris sp. (peep sp.)
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
Observation details
After much consideration I have decided to switch the ID of this bird to Peep sp. I still think Western Sandpiper is the best fit but unfortunately I did not identify it in the field. I was observing the Stilt Sandpiper and White-rumped Sandpiper when I saw a smaller peep on the shore behind them, but admittedly I quickly wrote it off as a Semipalmated Sandpiper and didn’t scrutinize it more closely. When I got home later in the day, and looked at my digiscoped photos, I noticed this peep in several of the photos. What immediately stood out to me was the overall grayish tan coloration reminiscent of a Semipalmated Sandpiper, but with rufous scapulars. That piqued my interest and upon closer inspection I noticed that the bird was definitely smaller than the White-rumped Sandpiper in the photo and the wingtips did not extend beyond the tail. The bird had a longer, droopy bill, almost Dunlin-like but not quite that long. The bird had a thick base to the bill with a finer tip. The field marks seem to fit for Western Sandpiper but without actual confirmation in the field, and the photos being as poor as they are, it’s hard to pin down a definite identification.
Technical information
- Dimensions
- 1752 pixels x 1458 pixels
- Original file size
- 539.17 KB