Sanderling or Sandpiper ? (1 Viewer)

[mrcolin2u]

I have a hard time identifying these birds, they all look so similar to me.

They were feeding in a large group running in and out with the surf on a San Diego beach last spring.

http://pic1.picturetrail.com/VOL1126/4278332/8990684/124926039.jpg

Thankyou in advance
Colin

 

[Katy Penland]

Shorebirds (and gulls) are the bane of my life, but the fact that they were running all the time is certainly typical Sanderling behavior. The plumage on these birds looks a bit dark but the light is probably giving them a darker, more rufous tint than normal. Nice shot, too! :t:

 

[streatham]

I'd say they are probably Western Sandpiper - the bills (drooping and thin) and plumage all point away from Sanderling in my opinion (streaking on some birds breasts and no birds showing black on lesser coverts). The thin, drooping bills and also length of some of the birds bills would appear to rule out Semipalmated and I imagine if the shot is taken in Cali the % chance of them being Western are much higher - I know on the East Coast almost all peeps seen on the coast at this time of the year are now thought to be Western rather than Semi-sands (which was the old assumption) - not sure if that applies in the west too?

Not my strong point either so i'm sure you'll get to better answers and reasoning.

Luke

 

[Steve Lister]

Sanderlings are much greyer than these birds and normally show a blackish area on the sides near the bend of the wing. Also they have a shorter and less curved bill.

I assume that these birds are Western Sandpipers based on their dark legs and long, decurved beaks.

Steve

 

[JANJ]

Katy, if you had spotted the hind toe on these, you will now know that Sanderling lacks one.
They do look like Western, and for the reason Luke mentioned, but there are also some short-billed.
Luke, I think it also applies in the west to.
JanJ

 

[mrcolin2u]

Thankyu

Thanks for your input folks.I have studied the plumage in several different birdbooks but still cannot come to a positive conclusion.
I have more photos if anyone is interested. :news:

 

[Katy Penland]

Katy, if you had spotted the hind toe on these, you will now know that Sanderling lacks one.
They do look like Western, and for the reason Luke mentioned, but there are also some short-billed.
Luke, I think it also applies in the west to.
JanJ

Jan, can I follow you around for about 20 years so I can learn at least 1/1000 of what you know? Thanks for that pointer, never occurred to me to look at the feet. :t:

 

[JANJ]

No Katy, I almost never look at feets myself

JanJ

 

[Jane Turner]

You can make out the palmations on the bird on its own a little right of centre too

 

[cavan wood]

I just want to say I am so pleased with myself for picking these out as western before I read everything else. I suck at shorebird, but I got these right and I had already picked out most of what was mentioned later (longer, downcurved bills, except that nicely focused short-billed one in the centre, the semipalmation, (missed the not-missing toe), and the browner look. Hey, I'm going to have to go get a spotting scope and move to the coast. I actually think I'm starting to be able to see differences in these little guys.

Scott

 

[Katy Penland]

LOL, Scott, good on ya. I live for the day I can ID one peep from another without six field guides and online help.