Western Sandpiper or Dunlin (1 Viewer)

[tom baxter]

True, but that is a more relevant trait when in water rather than on land (as in these pics)

I don’t think I have ever seen Dunlin with this strong of a supercilium. If it wasnt for that it would be an easier case for one. Do you have any comments on that? Looking through Macaulay library seems to support my thoughts anecdotally.

 

[KenM]

I don’t think I have ever seen Dunlin with this strong of a supercilium. If it wasnt for that it would be an easier case for one. Do you have any comments on that? Looking through Macaulay library seems to support my thoughts anecdotally.

Agreed…

 

[jmepler]

Only a juvenile Dunlin would appear so scaly. There is little chance that a Dunlin would still be in juvenile plumage in mid November.

 

[mcdunn]

Sorry to torment you all. Scoured through my photos of that day again ( Kind of a "Where's Waldo?" undertaking) . Think I have another angle on this bird (uncropped and cropped). In uncropped image it is NW of the tip of large log on bottom. This bird seemed to really hide out. Sad about all the human generated garbage -this is the reality these birds are faced with.

 

[tom baxter]

Sorry to torment you all. Scoured through my photos of that day again ( Kind of a "Where's Waldo?" undertaking) . Think I have another angle on this bird (uncropped and cropped). In uncropped image it is NW of the tip of large log on bottom. This bird seemed to really hide out. Sad about all the human generated garbage -this is the reality these birds are faced with.

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I’m really stumped on this bird. From these new photos I think Stilt Sandpiper is ruled out too. Western may be the most likely but it is still hard to be sure in my opinion.

 

[THE_FERN]

That photo looks much more like Western to me, but the bill still looks long for that species.

 

[KenM]

First impressions on new image….Stilt Sandpiper to my eye, just look at that super.😮

Cheers

 

[lou salomon]

I think it actually is a Western Sand. Females have rather long bills matching those of short billed Dunlins.

 

[birdmeister]

I could go for Western Sand.

 

[AveryBartels]

I don’t think I have ever seen Dunlin with this strong of a supercilium. If it wasnt for that it would be an easier case for one. Do you have any comments on that? Looking through Macaulay library seems to support my thoughts anecdotally.

I don't have a strong feeling either way for this bird though I do believe it is either Western or Dunlin (as seems to be the general consensus). If I were to guess I would say it seems more Western but I am not confident.

 

[Indobirder]

Are you sure both pics are of the same bird?
The first bird feels most like Stilt Sandpiper to me, but I won't bet my life on it.

 

[mcdunn]

Are you sure both pics are of the same bird?
The first bird feels most like Stilt Sandpiper to me, but I won't bet my life on it.

I am pretty sure it is the same bird. Here is the original file of the first image posted on this thread. Here you can see a glass bottle left and slightly northwest of center (mystery bird is below glass bottle) and on the left there is a green top bottle next to a soda bottle. On the previous image posted (post #24) you can see the glass bottle on the right and on the left the green capped bottle and the bird is between the two. So it did not move very far. Did not realize the serious foreshortening from one image to the other - there is quite a bit of distance between bottles. Also the terrain slopes quite a bit and you have birds standing on beach debris. The comparative body sizes of Semipalmated Plover and Stilt Sandpiper mentioned by jlarsen, and the "standing in a hole" comment the AveryBartels has gotten me thinking this bird may have been in a hole of sorts . Stilt Sandpiper seems very possible.

 

[smiths]

For comparison, here are two photos of Stilt Sandpipers in the company of Turnstones and a Semipalmated Sandpiper.
Note how body size is similar to that of Turnstone and much bigger than that of SemiP.
On that basis alone, Stilt Sandpiper can be completely discarded as an option here.

If that in itself is not convincing enough for some readers, there are several other helpful features:
In all plumages, Stilt shows a characteristic protrusion of white feathers on the base of the lower mandible; it also shows a more prominently streaked throat and narrower white eyering (behind the eye). Also, note the shape and pattern of the greater coverts: the OP bird is a first winter, just like the two Stilt Sandpipers attached here; the juvenile greater coverts are more oval-shaped in the latter and show a distinct, blackish anchor pattern near the tip. The OP bird has narrow, pointed greater coverts with just a blackish shaft streak, no anchor.

 

[jmepler]

For comparison, here are two photos of Stilt Sandpipers in the company of Turnstones and a Semipalmated Sandpiper.
Note how body size is similar to that of Turnstone and much bigger than that of SemiP.
On that basis alone, Stilt Sandpiper can be completely discarded as an option here.

If that in itself is not convincing enough for some readers, there are several other helpful features:
In all plumages, Stilt shows a characteristic protrusion of white feathers on the base of the lower mandible; it also shows a more prominently streaked throat and narrower white eyering (behind the eye). Also, note the shape and pattern of the greater coverts: the OP bird is a first winter, just like the two Stilt Sandpipers attached here; the juvenile greater coverts are more oval-shaped in the latter and show a distinct, blackish anchor pattern near the tip. The OP bird has narrow, pointed greater coverts with just a blackish shaft streak, no anchor.

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So, what's your conclusion?

In my experience, shorebirds (waders) can look drastically different in size based on posture. I hesitate to draw any conclusions about size based on a few photographs.

To me, the best match for the plumage of this bird, is a first winter Stilt Sandpiper. Again, photos can be tricky.

 

[smiths]

So, what's your conclusion?

In my experience, shorebirds (waders) can look drastically different in size based on posture. I hesitate to draw any conclusions about size based on a few photographs.

To me, the best match for the plumage of this bird, is a first winter Stilt Sandpiper. Again, photos can be tricky.

It's definitely a Western Sandpiper.
You can even see the short, dark leg in the lower photograph in post #24.
You can compare with the legs of the Semipalmated Plovers to the left and right of it.

 

[mcdunn]

For comparison, here are two photos of Stilt Sandpipers in the company of Turnstones and a Semipalmated Sandpiper.
Note how body size is similar to that of Turnstone and much bigger than that of SemiP.
On that basis alone, Stilt Sandpiper can be completely discarded as an option here.

If that in itself is not convincing enough for some readers, there are several other helpful features:
In all plumages, Stilt shows a characteristic protrusion of white feathers on the base of the lower mandible; it also shows a more prominently streaked throat and narrower white eyering (behind the eye). Also, note the shape and pattern of the greater coverts: the OP bird is a first winter, just like the two Stilt Sandpipers attached here; the juvenile greater coverts are more oval-shaped in the latter and show a distinct, blackish anchor pattern near the tip. The OP bird has narrow, pointed greater coverts with just a blackish shaft streak, no anchor.

View attachment 1492732View attachment 1492733

Very nice photos with close-up insets. I am inclined to go with Western Sandpiper. That beak still does bug me. It seems so downturned. Would this beak be on the extreme side for length on female Western Sandpiper? By the way, you folks are all wonderful for helping out here. Truly grateful. When I posted these photos I figured they would be ignored for some time.

 

[lou salomon]

Bills in the long billed females of Western Sandpiper actually are slightly curved downwards - just as in yours.