Peep Show! The Sandpipers (part 1)

It's shorebird season again.... This is the time of the year when many shorebirds head from the Arctic regions of Canada southward towards their winter grounds of southern U.S., Caribbean, Central and South America. Some of these long distance migrants go south as Tierra del Fuego! A distance of 17,000 miles!

So what are these shorebirds? Well, the name kind of says it all.... I'm not talking about gulls, herons, geese nor ducks. I'm talking about stilts, plovers and most specifically sandpipers. Over the course of the next three blog posts, I'm going to try to weave through the confusion of shorebird identification. (Remember, even the experts can get confused.)

Shorebirds tend to intermingle with one other, sometimes traveling in flocks containing different species. Harmonious and gregarious by nature, they do not compete directly with each other for food. Take a walk at Myers Park, one could see an array of sandpipers, plovers (and sometimes) stilts foraging the shorelines and marshes for food. Stilts and plovers I have discussed here on the JTI. (Please click on the Wildlife Photos tag below the post for further information).

Sandpipers belong to the Scolopacidie family. There are 34 Wisconsin species. I'm going to start with the sub-family of Tringa and then work my way down the taxonomical table. I'm using the Killdeer (an abundant plover species) to co relate to size. An average Killdeer is about 9 to 10.5 inches long

A little smaller than the Killdeer, the Spotted Sandpiper (see picture below taken at North Beach 5 2 2014) is one the most common sandpipers species in the state. Unlike many of the sandpiper species, the Spotted breed in the state. This skittish bird is distinguished by its brown upper parts, white underneath and brown belly spots. (The spotting will fade by fall) Yellow legs and orange bill with a black tip are the other identifying factors. The most recognizable trait they have are their incessant bobbing while on the ground.

             
Quite similar to the Spotted Sandpiper is the Solitary Sandpiper.(see picture below taken at Bong 8 16 2013)  Slightly larger its cousin, the Solitary does NOT bob around nor has a white streak through the eye. True to its name, the Solitary is often found traveling alone. They seem to prefer inland ponds and marshes over lakeside locations.

Making an occasional visit while passing through Wisconsin during migration is this tall, blueish grey legged sandpiper called the Willet (see picture below taken at Myers Park 5 20 2014) Among the largest sandpiper species in North America, this tame and stocky bird is easily identified by its long straight bill and patterned grey/brown plumage. The most impressive part of its plumage is the distinct black and white underneath markings on the wings seen while flying.

   
Commonly seen walking gracefully along the countryside mudflats and coastlines during migration across the state is the Lesser Yellowlegs (see picture below taken at Myers Park 9 3 2014) Easily;y distinguished its long, yellow legs and a bill that is just as long as its head. This elegant bird is smaller than the Willet, while showing off a black and white molting and a streaky belly during breeding season. In the fall, they turn more pale with or no streaking.

With a dove-like head on a long neck and a long tail, the Upland Sandpiper (see picture below taken a Buena Vista Grasslands near Stevens Point, WI 7 5 2014) is perhaps the most usual sandpiper species in Wisconsin. Unlike the other species, there is no need to be around water. Found and bred in prairies and open grasslands in selected areas across the state, they can be seen perched on fence posts and telephone wires. These long distant migrants are about 12 inches tall, heavily marbled black and brown on top, white belly and yellow legs. Their call is described as similar to a "wolf whistle".

Although it may be seen along coastal waters all over the globe, the Whimbrel (see picture below taken at Myers Park 8 20 2014), it is considered a rare species here in Wisconsin.  We were fortunate to have one foraging for insects and worms at Myers and on the picnic grounds of North Beach (same bird) for about a week.  The distinguishing remarks about this foot tall bird is its long down curved bill, greyish brown plumage with a dark striped crown.

 
Another rare migrant that passes through Wisconsin is the Marbled Godwit (see picture below taken at Bolca Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach CA 7 3 2009). Mainly seen in the wetlands in central North America, they migrate to the coastlines for the winter. This large shorebird is easily identified by its long pink upturned bill, long bluish grey legs and a pale brown with dark bars on the chest and flanks. I have never seen one here in Wisconsin, however there was one spotted at North Beach earlier this spring.

The other sandpiper species that fit the criteria of this blog are the Greater Yellowlegs, Eskimo Curlew, Long Billed Curlew and the Hudsonian Godwit.

I've seen the Greater Yellowlegs a few times by countryside ponds across the state, but they were too distant to get a quality photo. Although not as common as the Lesser Yellowlegs, they are almost as identical. The Greater is bigger than the Lesser with a longer bill.

The Eskimo Curlew is extinct and the Long Billed Curlew is an accidental species.

Hudsonian Godwits look much like the Marbled. The Hudsonsians are smaller than the Marbleds with a slightly different plumage. Just as rare too, for I've never seen one....

So what birds have you seen? Which ones would you like to see? What are your thoughts?