7 replies to this topic

[Parula]

seen at topsail north carolina
i have a pic but it will be a week before i can post it. the sandpiper had rusty shoulders, black legs, and a curved beak

[Joejr14]

It can be very difficult to tell Sanderlings, Semipalms and westerns apart in various stages of plumage. Bill lengths are never a set thing, but a pic would help tremendously.

[TheBillyPilgrim]

Agreed. No way to confirm a peep without a pic.

[Parula]

ok well once i can load the picture i will post it. why in bird books does it say ruddy turnstones and sanderlings only are on the east coast in the winter. when i have seen them in summer. also is it really rare to see a red breasted merganser in the summer down here

[fisherman1313]

I can't help with the merganser question, but I can answer your shorebird question. Field guides show the "typical" or "normal" range of a bird, where the bird is expected to be seen at a given time of year. Some migratory birds do not migrate to their breeding ranges for various reasons and will spend the summer where they are not "supposed' to be. Some may migrate and not breed successfully, then return the their summer range early.

[Kryptos18]

I've had Western Sandpiper on the Outer Banks in mid-August, so it's definitely possible. But that bird was really faded and ratty looking. With the rufous shoulder, I'd make sure it's not a Sanderling coming out of breeding plumage.

[psweet]

The other thing to think about with shorebirds is that their migration schedules don't follow our seasonal conventions. Some are still moving north in June and others are heading south in July. It would probably make more sense to think of "breeding range" and "non-breeding range" than summer or winter.

[Joejr14]

The other thing to think about with shorebirds is that their migration schedules don't follow our seasonal conventions. Some are still moving north in June and others are heading south in July. It would probably make more sense to think of "breeding range" and "non-breeding range" than summer or winter.

Agree with this. At my two shorebird stops last week I had some sanderlings with varying degrees of molting and ruddy turnstones with the same---several still in breeding plumage.

Sibley's lists both of those species as 'winter' residents on the east coast. Same with the red knot from last week---still in breeding plumage. Sibley's also mentions that the 'summer' range is specifically the breeding range. Many shorebirds leave that range earlier than pretty much everything else, so no surprise what you're seeing.