Baird's Sandpiper

Calidris bairdii

Appearance:
Small to medium shorebird
Black legs
Slightly drooping, black bill
Long wings extending beyond the tail
Dark brown, scaly upperparts
White underparts
Dark centre of rump and tail
Light brown head and breast, with dark streaking
Juvenile:
     Buff colored breast
     Scaly upperparts

 Learn more about the Baird's Sandpiper.

Red Phalarope

Phalaropus fulicarius

non-breeding

Appearance:
Smaller wader
Straight bill
Short legs
Lobed toes
Adults:
     Distinct white stripe down the wing
     Dark stripe down the tail
     Contrasting color on sides of rump

     Breeding plumage:    
         Rufous neck and underparts
         Dark brown and black above
         White cheek patches
         Yellow bill
         Black cap (female) / Brown cap (male)
     Non-breeding plumage: (photographed)

         Light grey above, unstreaked

         White below
         White head

         Black ear patch behind the eye

         Black bill with lighter base

Juveniles:
     Black backs edged in buff
     Buff underparts and head
     Dark patch through the eye  

Listen to its call. 

 

Although phalaropes are sandpipers, which are typically shorebirds, these birds spend most of the year out at sea. They are also one of the few birds where the female of the species is more colourful and larger than the male. This is because the females are polyandrous. They have to look good to attracted the attention of multiple males. In contrast, the males need to be duller to avoid detection of predators while providing most of the parental care.

Learn more about the Red Phalarope.

Red Knot

Calidris canutus

Appearance:
Medium-sized sandpiper
Grey plumage
Dark primaries
Long, straight bill
Short yellow/green legs
Breeding:
     Rufous-red head and breast
     Mottled gray and black upper parts
Immature:
     White-tipped wing feathers

Listen to its call.

This sandpiper has been reported by numerous birders in the last few weeks, both at Kitty Islet and on the beach at the end of Bowker Avenue in Oak Bay. It has been roosting on the rocks offshore with a large number of Dunlins and Black-bellied Plovers.

The Red Knot (on the right) is larger than the Dunlin (on left) but smaller than the Plover (in centre). It's straight bill is the same length as it's head. Although initially described as showing a reddish wash on its breast, this seems to have disappeared as it transitioned into its winter plumage.

Learn more about the Red Knot.

Marbled Godwit

Limosa fedoa

Appearance:
Large shorebird
Long, slightly upcurved bill; pink at base with dark tip
Evenly buff-brown
Dark barring
Long legs

Listen to its call.

This sandpiper was probing for food in the mud on this coastal beach. Okay, so the beach wasn't exactly in Victoria. (It was in San Diego). Although rare, sightings of these birds do occur in the Victoria area most years.

Learn more about the Marbled Godwit.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Appearance:

• Medium-sized shorebird
• Medium-sized, slightly drooping, dark bill
• Yellowish legs
• Black patch on rump extending onto tail
• Thin, white wing stripe  

Adult:

• Brown head with dark streaks
• Pale supercilium
• Black back feathers and wing coverts with brown edges
• Brown breast with fine streaks ending abruptly and contrasting with white underparts

Juvenile:

• Similar to adult
• Back feathers and wing coverts with pale brown, rust, or golden edges
• White 'V's on back
• Dark rusty crown

Listen to its call.

 

And now for a couple of definitions. The supercilium is the eyebrow region.  Wing coverts are the feathers that cover the base of quill feathers.

I saw these two shorebirds at McIntyre Reservoir, in the Martindale area, a few days ago. Although this is private property, the land owner kindly allows birders access to view the reservoir from the dike surrounding it. I wasn't able to get too close to these birds but you can still get a clear picture of the sharp border between the dark breast and the white belly. The legs in these photos look quite dark but I think it is just the lighting, or quite possibly mud.  It's curious how their bellies remain so white. 

Learn more about the Pectoral Sandpiper.

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Calidris pusilla

Appearance:

Small sandpiper

Black legs

Short, blunted-tipped black bill

Pale, scaled grayish-brown upperparts 

White underparts

Fine streaks on breast and sides

Listen to its call.

I saw this bird amidst the other small peeps on the mudflats at Sidney Spit on the weekend. It was very similar in size and shape to the Lesser and Western Sandpipers, with only its straight, blunt bill to differentiate it from the others..... or so I thought. 

Check out the feet.



Semipalmated refers to the half-webbed toes



 

 

 Learn more about the Semipalmated Sandpiper.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Appearance:

• Medium sandpiper
• Long, yellow legs
• Long, straight, dark bill
• Mottled brownish-black and white upperparts
• White rump and underparts
• Dark barring on tail, visible in flight  

Listen to its call.

Trying to distinguish between Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs has proven difficult for me.  I've been told that the bill is the key.  The length of the bill of the Lesser variety is about the size of its head width, while the bill of the Greater variety is noticeably longer.  However, because the angle of its head affects my perception, I still struggle to make this determination. The call, as usual, is also a key factor.  So, believe it or not, I actually paid attention to it this time.  The call of this bird was a short and fairly quiet tew-tew. Eureka!  I think I've finally found a Lesser Yellowlegs (or is it just wishful thinking on my part?).

Learn more about the Lesser Yellowlegs.

Short-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus grieseus

Appearance:

• Medium-sized shorebird
• Long, straight bill
• Long, greenish legs
• Short neck
• Dark crown and eyeline
• White and black bars of equal width on tail feathers
• Breeding plumage:
•     Mottled brown upperparts
•     Pale orange underparts
•     Spotting on sides
•     White belly
• Overall grey in winter

Listen to its call.

White and black bars of equal width on tail feathers

By late summer, most of the water has dried up at Panama Flats. Only a few large puddles remain where shorebirds congregate ... when the gaggles of Canada Geese allow it. Seeing a number of different sized shorebirds towards the centre of the flats, I moved in for a closer look, attempting to make my way through the squishing mud without any creeping up my sandals. It was disgusting! The mucky, (and I'm sure) excrement-covered shoes are still sitting outside our front door, too foul to be allowed in the house. The things I do just to get a picture! 

Learn more about the Short-billed Dowitcher.

Wandering Tattler

Heteroscelus incanum

Appearance:
Medium-sized sandpiper
Short, thick, yellow legs

Solid gray upperparts

Finely streaked face

Dark eye line

White eye ring

Longish, straight, black bill

Breeding:

   Heavily barred underparts

Non-breeding:
   Gray breast
   White belly

Listen to its call.

After enjoying a cup of tea at the Ogden Point Cafe this afternoon, I went for a short stroll along the breakwater. Being a long weekend, the area was bustling with activity: people on the walkway, divers in the water and shorebirds at the water's edge. I was taking pictures of a group of Black Turnstones on the rocks below when my husband drew my attention to this bird.  It was bobbing along the ledge on the outside of the breakwater, moving surprisingly quickly. If it hadn't stopped at regular intervals to probe for food, I would have had to take up jogging just to keep up with it. Thankfully, I didn't have to go to those extremes to get these pictures.

Learn more about the Wandering Tattler.

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularia

Appearance:

Medium-small shorebird

Pale eyebrow and dark eyeline

White wedge up onto shoulder
Breeding plumage:

• Orange bill with black tip
• Brown head, back and upperwings with small black bars
• White underparts with round, dark spots

Non-breeding plumage: (pictured below)

• Dark bill with pale base
• Pale brown head, back and upperwings with dark and buff bars
• White underparts, without dark spots

Listen to its call.

I may be dating myself but for some reason this bird made me think of the classic line from the old children's reader Fun with Dick and Jane -- "See Spot. See Spot run".  It had a distinct and constant teetering motion when it walked. "Funny, funny Spot".

Learn more about the Spotted Sandpiper.

Additional pictures:

non-breeding

 

Long-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus scolopaceus

 

Appearance:

• Medium-sized shorebird
• Long, straight bill
• Long, greenish legs
• Short neck
• Dark crown and eyeline
• Black bars on tail feathers wider than white
• Breeding plumage:
•      Mottled brown upperparts
•      Rich chestnut underparts
•      Barred sides
• All gray in winter

Listen to its call.

 

What better way to spend a cloudy Saturday morning than probing in the mud with half a dozen friends? Okay, so that might not appeal to everyone but these birds seemed to be having a great time bobbing their heads up and down in the shallow waters of Panama Flats.

Learn more about the Long-billed Dowitcher.

Sanderling

Calidris alba

Appearance:
Small sandpiper
Medium-length, straight, dark bill
Dark legs
White wingstripe bordered in black
Breeding plumage: (no photo)
Rufous head and neck
Rufous wash extending onto back
Non-breeding plumage:
Pale gray head and upperparts
White underparts
Faint, partial gray breast band

Listen to its call. 

I saw this bird running along the tide line at Esquimalt Lagoon beach with a couple of Dunlins last week. The three of them would run up the beach to avoid the waves, then turn and run back down as the waves receded. They were probably just looking for food but they reminded me of playful children enjoying a day at the shore.


Sanderling (left) / Dunlin (right)

Being a student of linguistics, the origin of words always interests me. So, what about Sanderling?  Although I really have no idea of its origin, I have a theory. Sandpiper has been truncated in the middle and the suffix -ling, which is a diminutive modifier, has been added to the noun. So, in essence, its name means that it's a small sandpiper. Isn't linguistics fun?!

Learn more about the Sanderling.

Additional photos:

Western Sandpiper

Calidris mauri

Appearance:

• Small sandpiper
• Moderately long bill, thinner at tip than at base, with slight droop
• Black legs
• White underparts
• Thin, white wing stripe
• Black line on rump extends onto tail

Adult:

• Indistinct white supercilium
• Rufous scapulars, crown and cheek (breeding plumage)
• Black back feathers and wing coverts with white edges
• Much black streaking and spotting on breast
• Black chevrons on flanks

Juvenile:

• Indistinct gray crown and pale supercilium
• Rufous scapulars
• Black-based back feathers and wing coverts with white and gray edges
• Faint, partial gray breast band

Listen to its call.

Western Sandpipers (back) / Least Sandpiper (front)

This bird is very similar in appearance to yesterday's bird of the day. However, when seen together, the Western Sandpiper is slightly larger than the Least Sandpiper. The longer bill and dark legs also set these birds apart.

 

Learn more about the Western Sandpiper.

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

Appearance:

Small sandpiper

Short, dark bill, drooping at tip

Yellowish legs

Brown head

White underparts

Adult:

• Whitish supercilium with darker crown and eyeline
• Gray-brown to black back feathers and wing coverts with brown edges
• Thin, white wing stripe
• Brown breast with black spotting
• Gray-brown breast band usually present
• Black line on rump extending onto tail

Juvenile:

• Pale supercilium with rusty crown
• Black back feathers and wing coverts with bright rusty edges
• White "V" on back
• Breast with golden cast and fine streaking

Listen to its call.

Dozen of these birds were foraging at the upper edge of the mudflats when I visited Panama Flats last week. These birds may be the smallest shorebirds in the world, but what they lack in size they certainly make up for in number.   

Learn more about the Least Sandpiper.

Solitary Sandpiper

Tringa solitaria

Description:

• Medium-sized, slender shorebird
• Moderately long legs
• Thin, straight bill
• White eye-ring
• Brown back with white spotting
• Brown and white streaking on head, neck and sides
• White belly
• Black tail with barred edges

Listen to its call.

According to the Webster's New World College Dictionary, the word 'solitary' is from the Latin sōlitārius meaning alone or by itself.  Hmmm.... just as I thought! Why then did I see three of these birds together at Panama Flats yesterday afternoon?  Apparently they are not truly solitary. However, unlike other shore birds, they do not migrate in large flocks.

Learn more about the Solitary Sandpiper.

Dunlin

Calidris alpina

Appearance:
Medium-sized sandpiper
Black bill, heavy at base, drooped at tip
Black legs
Winter plumage:
    Dull brownish-gray upperparts
    White belly
Breeding plumage: (photo below)
     Reddish-brown back and cap

    Black belly

Listen to its call.

I almost missed this guy yesterday when I was down at the shore. It was the only one of its kind amid a group of larger shorebirds. Its dull gray colouring blended with the surrounding rocks and it was only the shape of its bill that drew my attention.  The Western Sandpiper has a simliar bill and appearance so, once again, I'm not certain of my identification.  However, I think the size of this bird was more in the 8" than 6" range.

Learn more about the Dunlin.

Additional photos:  

breeding plumage

Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca

Appearance:

• Large sandpiper
• Long, yellow legs
• Long, dark bill, curved slightly upward
• Bill paler at base during winter
• Mottled brownish-gray and white
• White tail crossed with thin black bars
• White rump 

Listen to its call.

 I came across a small flock of these birds hanging out on the rocks by the Oak Bay Marina this morning. (For anyone confused by the ambiguity of that statement, I meant the birds were hanging out on the rocks, not me. However, in retrospect, I guess I was doing the same thing. So, either interpretation would be just fine). Back to the birds .... They were bigger than the other shore birds around them but much more wary, being the first to fly away when I got too close. As far as identifying them goes, I found it difficult to determine whether the bill was significantly longer than the head, but given the height of these birds, I'm pretty sure they are the Greater and not the Lesser Yellowlegs.

Learn more about the Greater Yellowlegs.