22 replies to this topic

[guy_incognito]

All pictures taken this morning at Bunche Beach (awesome place!). Just want to make sure I've got these IDs correct.

1. Semipalmated Sandpiper



2. Red Knot (with Semipalmated Plover in foreground)



3. Sanderling

[guy_incognito]

4. Pectoral Sandpipers



5. Which Dowitcher?



6. Lesser Yellowlegs? I never realized how long their legs are! I wanted to turn it into a Stilt Sandpiper...

[guy_incognito]

7. Another Dowitcher of unknown billedness

[TheBillyPilgrim]

Not positive on the first (those winter peeps are tricky and I can't get a good read on bill shape here), but I'll confirm the second two.

EDIT: Sorry, responded after you had only posted three pics. I'll take a look at the rest.

[guy_incognito]

Ok, so I don't need help on these two, but thought I'd share these two awesome Plovers (both lifers!)

Wilson's Plover



Piping Plover

[blackburnian]

Agree with all your IDs and the Dowichters look like short-billeds?

[GreatHorn]

Congrats on the plovers and what-not, guy! That makes me want to go back to Florida.
I don't see any IDs I disagree with either, but I sure can't help with the dowitchers.

[guy_incognito]

I'll just add this ID to this thread, but not a shorebird, and not at Bunche Beach.

Mottled Duck?

[TheBillyPilgrim]

I agree that the Dowitchers look like SB, but I'm never really certain on these guys without hearing them vocalize...Agree with all of your other IDs and congrats on the lifers! Where is Bunche? I've never been, but maybe I need to go next time I visit family...

EDIT: and agree on your Mottled's, too!

[guy_incognito]

Bunche Beach is in the Fort Myers Beach area, just south of Sanibel Island. Also got some other sweet lifers like Roseate Spoonbill, Tricolored Heron, Sandwich Tern, and American Oystercatcher.

[guy_incognito]

Thanks, guess I'll go with SB Dowitcher.

[JimBob]

Yeah, SB Dowitchers.

[Liam]

Just wondering here, what makes the first bird a Semipalm and not a Western?

[TheBillyPilgrim]

Just wondering here, what makes the first bird a Semipalm and not a Western?

Yeah, that's what I mentioned earlier. I thought the bill looked a little more Western-like, but i'm not comfortable enough to call them one way or another :/

[ginspin16]

Bunche Beach is in the Fort Myers Beach area, just south of Sanibel Island. Also got some other sweet lifers like Roseate Spoonbill, Tricolored Heron, Sandwich Tern, and American Oystercatcher.

what, no purple gallinule?? did you get any good pics of the spoonbill?

[guy_incognito]

Yeah, that's what I mentioned earlier. I thought the bill looked a little more Western-like, but i'm not comfortable enough to call them one way or another :/

Pretty sure they have both here, making it hard to know for sure. I can look to see if I have any showing the partially web feet. Didn't really see any that showed the really big bills at the end of the spectrum for Western. This one was between, so I thought both species could show a bill like this. Didn't know whether that was a "dingy" breast or not?

[guy_incognito]

what, no purple gallinule?? did you get any good pics of the spoonbill?

This thread is only for drab colored birds!

Yes, I have successfully found both, and been lucky enough to get some good pics. So far my shorebird luck has gone much better than the land birds.

I'll plan to make a trip report with all the goodies when I have a chance.

[eripma]

I would agree that the first bird is a Western Sandpiper. The thick-based, slightly drooped bill fits Western. The streaking on the upper sides is also a good sign (i think more would be visible but is covered by other feathers). The front-heavy look is also a Western trait.

[guy_incognito]

How about this guy?

[Liam]

I think this one may be a Semipalmated. Compare the two pics side-by-side:



Note the difference in the size of the bill and the extent of gray on the sides.