3 replies to this topic

[MarkBird]

I think these are Semipalmated Sandpipers, but the long-ish wing feathers make me pause about White-rumped. A local debate about White-rumpeds without flank streaks brought these birds back in to my mind.

Thoughts?

June 8, 2012 St. Petersburg



 Sandpipers_FtDeSoto_2_060812.jpg   75.11K   36 downloads

Thanks.

(P.S. Should be the last of really-crappy-zoom pictures. At least I finally upgraded to a 20X just-average-zoom camera.)

[psweet]

I agree with Semipalmated -- I can't see anyplace where the wings extend beyond the tail, and I don't see any plumage features to rule out Semipalmated.

[Grandpa577]

The following picture has a Semipalmated Sandpiper in the foreground and a White-rumped Sandpiper in the back. The orange under the base of the bill and the primaries that extend pass the tail are characteristics that make me feel confident in id'ing a White-rumped. Unfortunately, they are not always easy to see. I have noticed that the White-rumped appears chunkier than the Semipalmated Sandpiper and the speckling on the breast seems more uniform and covers a larger area and included much of the throat while the breeding Semipalmated we see in NY has a white throat and limited amount of speckling on the breast. Sibley shows more extensive speckling but still the whitishness around the face and throat. The flank streaks can appear more evident on the White-rumped at times but it can also appear on some Semipalmated Sandpipers in a more limited amount.



White-rumped_Sandpiper_9275n by Grandpa577, on Flickr

[MarkBird]

Thanks.

Grandpa, excellent comparison photo. Can you throw a non-breeding Western in there to really cover the bases?