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To the Beauty of Birds

Sandpipers are not the easiest of birds to identify. These presumpive
Western Sandpipers Calidris mauri were photographed on the Bayocean Spit, Tillamock, Oregon and at Pigeon Point, Coos Bay, OR. At both places they were present in flocks (8596). They present in two forms: adults with speckling on most of the breast (122, 1223) and juveniles with less extensive speckling of the breast (remaining photos). They are similar to Semipalmated Sandpipers but those are rare in Oregon. They are larger than the Least Sandpiper. On the wing they white tail feathers with two central black feathers.

When photographing many shore birds the feather on the primaries and secondary’s often seen just a little out of focus. Photo 1205 shows an enlargement of these feathers showing their complex pattern of a bark brown center with many fine feathering around the edge. No wonder these are hard to photograph in focus.

The Western Sandpiper is distinguished from the Least Sandpiper by its black legs and larger size and from the Semipalmated by its range and call, a high pitched cheet instead of a low pitched churp.

Some of these photos of non-breeding birds were taken at the San Joaquin Sanctuary, Irvine, CA in October.

Western Sandpiper