Shorebirds

Least Sandpiper - Blackie Spit, BC This is the smallest sandpiper we see on the West Coast. I once had a horrible time trying to identify which was which, but when they are in the clear water, it is much easier. Least Sandpipers are the only peep (small sandpiper) to have yellow legs. They also have the smallest bills and they also carry some rust on the scapulars (shoulder feathers). This was on the shoreline of Blackie Spit on a section of Mud Bay where the Nicomekl River enters the ocean. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com 2022
Least Sandpiper - Blackie Spit, BC
Black Oystercatcher with Oyster - Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty, BC I have always wondered why this bird was named after the Oyster, yet here we are with a picture perfect moment of why. Oyster are not usually found along the shore and tide line unless there is a very low tide and that only happens infrequently. This is also a perfect example of how the oyster's beak works like a shucking knife penetrating the two half's and separating the muscle that holds everything together. This was taken along the Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty on a low tide. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com 2022
Black Oystercatcher - Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty, BC
Wilson's Phalarope - Reifel Bird Sanctuary, BC This is a sandpiper that reminds me of a whirly gig beetle spinning circles as they search the surface of the water for small invertebrates. Most of the sandpipers lose their color in the winter time to match the color of the sand or frothing water of the shore. These little birds spend time on fresh water during the winter where their cousins the red and red-necked phalaropes spend time on the salt water. There was a pair that spent the summer in Reifel this year which was unusual, but nice to see. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com 2022
Wilson's Phalarope - Reifel Bird Sanctuary, BC
Buff-breasted Sandpiper - Boundary Bay, BC In the late summer, we get many of the Pacific Flyway shorebirds stopping in at Boundary Bay which is an Important Bird Area for birds to refuel before they continue on their journey south. This, not so common, visitor might stop and stay for a couple weeks. You have to be out on the shoreline looking on a regular basis as they are few in numbers in the Vancouver area. They are arctic breeders and typically use the Central Flyway to head to Argentina for winter. This bird used to be numerous, but there were severely over-hunted in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com 2022
Buff-breasted Sandpiper - Boundary Bay, BC
Spotted Sandpiper - Oliver Slough, BC While out checking shorebirds on the fall migration at Boundary Bay around 112th Ave. Around the mouth of Oliver's slough on the ocean side of the pump station, there were 5 spotted sandpipers who had already molted out of their spots. They were acting a bit strange as they were hunting flies on the shoreline which had them running from place to place with an outstretched neck. It reminded me of a show on the Salt Lake Brine flies and California Gulls. There is a bit of history here on Oliver Slough and the oyster farms when there was no pump station. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com 2022
Spotted Sandpiper - Oliver Slough, BC
Curlew Sandpiper - Boundary Bay, BC Another one for the record books. This Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was found by Melissa
Curlew Sandpiper - Boundary Bay, BC
Solitary Sandpiper - Blue Creek, KY True to its name, this Solitary Sandpiper was alone in Blue Creek checking the rocks for critters to eat. He was accompanied by cliff swallows not far away on the bank collecting mud for their nests. The Solitary sandpipers are told from the spotted sandpipers at this time of the year by the very obvious white eye-ring. Side by side, the solitary is slightly larger and no tail wagging. Michael W Klotz 2022 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Solitary Sandpiper - Blue Creek, KY
Whimbrel - Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, BC A long-legged shorebird with a long curvy beak makes this Whimbrel a great photograph. In the past several years, we have had Whimbrel on the Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty during the spring, summer and fall months which has been a bit unusual. It is always a treat to see them picking along the shoreline for a snack as they add a little something to the other common birds here like the Pelagic Cormorants, Black Oystercatchers and Harlequin Ducks. These birds can be found on their breeding grounds in the far north of Canada and Alaska. They will winter along the coast from the Canadian border south into South America. Michael W Klotz 2022 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Whimbrel - Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, BC
Sanderling - Boundary Bay, BC We have one location where these very light sandpipers will winter here in British Columbia, and that is Boundary Bay. It is named because of the border between the United States and Canada running through its center. Here the birds pay no attention to the line that separates the two countries and will run across the boundary on a regular basis. Sanderlings are very light in the winter and turn mottled brown with black spots to hide in the tundra in the summer while nesting. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Sanderling - Boundary Bay, BC
Wilson's Snipe - Milner, BC We have a great area for the Christmas Bird Count, which includes the area of Milner, BC. This is where Langley has a great many greenhouses. This year our weather was cold and snowy and there were very few places that had open water. The warmer water from the greenhouses flows into the ditches in the area melting snow and ice which allows these West Coast inland shorebirds the ability to feed and stay relatively warm. The Wilson's Snipe is well camouflaged for the grassland life but not so much for greenery. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Wilson's Snipe - Milner, BC
Sanderling - Ocean Shore, WA When you think of those little sandpipers that rush down to the waterline to quickly poke their beaks in the sand, only to rush back up the beach before they get swamped, you are probably thinking of these guys. They have a very light, plain gray look in the winter and can be found on every sandy beach on just about every continent. In the summer they are found north of the arctic circle in the rusty red, checked plumage that keeps them hidden in the ground cover. This photo was taken at the breakwater as you enter Grays Harbor on the Ocean Shores side. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Sanderling - Ocean Shore, WA
Ruff - Boundary Bay, BC These sandpipers aren't much different than our larger sandpipers in the fall but the sure can do a molt well. See pictures of the breeding plumage here. This bird is not a common visitor to our coast on the fall as they are a Eurasian species that winters on the northern coast and winters mostly in Africa. This particular fellow was found on Boundary bay feeding in the shallows. These birds have an interesting mating ritual which is somewhat explained here Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Ruff - Boundary Bay, BC
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - Reifel Bird Sanctuary, BC We see these sandpipers once or twice a year here in Vancouver on the return migration south. They are typically found on the Eurasian continents and head south to areas like Vietnam and Thailand breeding in the arctic of Russia. In the earlier part of the migration they will show a very rusty head which is a pretty common field marking. This sandpiper was in the house pond at Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta, BC. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - Reifel Bird Sanctuary, BC
Solitary Sandpiper - Iona Beach Regional Park, BC This sandpiper is one of the smallest of three cousins that use our mudflats in the spring and fall. This is a stop over either on their way into breeding grounds in the mountains, pothole lakes and muskeg of Canada and Alaska or to Mexico, stretching all the way south to Argentina on their wintering grounds. They are quickly identified by the big white eye-ring and the spotted back. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Solitary Sandpiper - Iona Beach Regional Park, BC
Marbled Godwit - Frank Lake, AB The shallows in around Frank Lake were alive with shore birds, including this Marbled Godwit who was picking through the mud for yummy critters to eat. These birds spend the breeding season in the prairies and head south to the shorelines down both sides of North America. and as far south as South America. There are couple of small nesting colonies also on Hudson's Bay and on the western-most section of Alaska. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Marbled Godwit - Frank Lake, AB
Semipalmated Sandpiper - Frank Lake, AB This very plain sandpiper is one of the harder birds to identify when the fall migration is on. I chose this picture because it shows why the bird is named as it is. That is, the semi (partially) palmated (webbed) toes are open and spread so you can see the webbing. This can be a very difficult way to identify this bird while it is wandering around in the water. The other tell tale signs are the slightly curved bill as well as the lack of any rufous on the head and shoulders along with the black legs. This is a great website to look at for the other signs. The other two similar birds are the Western and Least Sandpipers. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Semipalmated Sandpiper - Frank Lake, AB
Hudsonian Whimbrel - Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty, BC There were a small flock of Hudsonian Whimbrels that spent some time on the Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty late this fall. When I put together some of the posts I like to put some little bit of information of the bird. During the search for
Hudsonian Whimbrel - Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty, BC
Least Sandpiper - Long Beach, BC Long Beach is a perfect stretch for shorebirds to stop in and refuel on their way south. There are long expanses of beach that softly slope into the ocean, making the feeding area substantially larger as the tide goes out. Among the peeps on the beach this morning, were a few Least Sandpipers told by the size, short bill and yellow legs. The are often mistaken as a Semi-palmated sandpiper which has black legs and a slightly larger bill or Western Sandpiper which is larger and has a much longer down-curved bill. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Least Sandpiper - Long Beach, BC
Black Turnstones - Tsawwassen, BC The ferry jetty in Tsawwassen is amazing for shorebirds and sea ducks. These Black Turnstones are no exception to the rule. They are hit and miss along the jetty but seem to be a fixture in the winter making their home along the ferry structures at low tide picking at the exposed muscle beds. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Black Turnstones - Tsawwassen, BC
Killdeer - Meadow Lake, BC Meadow Lake is an ephemeral lake which means the water comes into the lake but does not leave. The water evaporates each year leaving minerals and salt on the edge of the lake which gives it the white appearance in the summer months. Killdeer love the shoreline for food and for nesting among the pebbles leaving just a scrape in the ground as a nest. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Killdeer - Meadow Lake, BC
Wilson's Phalarope Male - Robert Lake, BC During a trip to Kelowna this year, I stopped in a Robert Lake to put Wilson's phalarope on the year list. As it turns out, the lake was overfull. It was flooding right up and into a field that is usually high an dry by that time of the year but it would appear that the lake was being used as a storage tank and the overflow pumped out. Hopefully this doesn't change the composition of the lake as it is a closed or Endorheic Lake. That is a fancy name for a lake with no outlet. This male Phalarope was picking away at the waters edge hunting successfully for damselfly larvae. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Wilson's Phalarope Male - Robert Lake, BC
Semi-palmated Plover - Tofino, BC The classic Semi-palmated plover pulling a blood worm from the sand at Tofino's famous surfing spot, Long Beach. These little plovers were running on the flat sand with the rest of the peeps looking for fuel for the long flight south. Semi-palms winter along the coast from California south to Chile and from South Carolina south to almost the tip of South America. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Semi-palmated Plover - Tofino, BC
Solitary Sandpiper - Cranbrook, BC On Sylvan lake in the fall there are several shorebirds stopping over as they fly south. This is a closed lake and is very salty. This little lake at the upper end of Cranbrook, BC is a closed lake where the water flows in but very rarely flows out causes the salinity to be very high. This Solitary Sandpiper was hardly solitary with two others of the same kind and at least a dozen other shorebirds. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Solitary Sandpiper - Cranbrook, BC
Lesser Yellowlegs - Cranbrook, BC Sylvan Lake, BC is where this Lesser Yellowlegs had stopped for a quick top up before heading south. I always have problems identifying the two species of Yellowlegs with size being the best......but only when they are standing together!. The other things to look at when looking at Greater vs Lesser is that greater have a longer bill in relation to the head which is slightly upturned at the tip. They also look a little daintier. Click on the link for comparison. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Lesser Yellowlegs - Cranbrook, BC
Greater Yellowlegs - Long Beach, BC Migration time for Long Beach in September and this Greater Yellowlegs is no exception. He was the only one on the beach of his kind, but he was keeping pace with several of the other peeps. One thing that is always hard to do with this bird is tell is the difference from its very close cousin the lesser yellowlegs. Some indicators include, size, bill shape and length, primary feather projection past tail. The size is very simple to use when there are mixed flocks of the bird. The Greater is obviously bigger by a half at least. The bill is slightly upturned and at least 1.5 times the length of the head in the larger bird. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Greater Yellowlegs - Long Beach, BC
Wilson's Phalarope Female - Robert Lake, BC Robert Lake is a salt lake that is extremely important to the local and migrating bird population in Kelowna, BC. In the spring the Wilson's phalarope meet here to breed on the semi flooded fields where plenty of invertebrates also call home. As the summer moves on the lake drys up and the total footprint might shrink by almost half leaving the dissolved salts to crystallize on the plants. This is a femail phalrope told by the more striking markings as the females of this species is known for. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Wilson's Phalarope Female, Robert Lake, BC
Western Sandpipers - Richmond, BC At the very end of the Iona Jetty 4 kilometers from shore is a location that every year is loaded with shorebirds. It is not very large, but is free from most land predators and a most people as well. The rocks and logs were covered in these Western sandpipers taking in the afternoon sun. I was able to locate myself behind a large log and wait for the flocks to resettle so I would be ale to take a relaxed photo of these
Western Sandpipers - Richmond, BC
Western Sandpiper - Richmond Using a sun-bleached log as a roost several Western Sandpipers were catching the last of the sun rays for the day. This is our most common sandpiper during migration and can be told by the long drooping bill and rust on the wings during the non breeding months. During breeding, they have more rust on the head, back and wings and have checking along their sides and flank. These hardy little birds breed along the West Coast of Alaska and spend winter on both Us Coasts and the Northern coast of South America. Michael Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Western Sandpiper - Richmond, BC
Black Turnstone - White Rock On the granite break water at the end of the white rock pier a lone Black Turnstone was combing the nooks for something to eat. They are typically in small groups, but today this bird was on its own. They are so no descript when wandering around on the shoreline but when they are in the air, the black and white pattern is striking. Michael Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Black Turnstone - White Rock, BC
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Whimbrel - Tsawwassen
Pectoral Sandpiper - Richmond, BC During the hunt for the rare Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at Iona Island, the large flock of Pectoral Sandpipers were very close indeed. Most of the birds here look very similar to the
Pectoral Sandpiper - Richmond, BC
Calidris acuminata Picture
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - Richmond, BC
Whimbrel - Tsawwassen, BC This long-billed shorebird has decided to stick it out here in the south-western corner of Canada for the winter. This bird is usually found south of Washington State on the west coast in the off season but has found a suitable home with a couple of Black Oystercatchers on the Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Whimbrel - Tsawwassen, BC
These hardy little birds are great to watch as they pick through the rocks. Their upturned beaks are perfect for flipping rocks and shells over to find crustaceans and other goodies along the shoreline. This particular bird was scouring the solid rocks with a partner making sure no surface was missed.
Black Turnstone - Victoria
This unexpected Wilson's Snipe was sunning itself after a cold spell here in Vancouver. This photo was taken at the Boundary Bay Airport along one of the wet fields to the north of the airport. These very secretive birds typically are only seen when you flush them from cover as you have come too close so I was quite lucky to get these shots. The North American Snipe has, in the last 15 years, been split from its cousin in Europe, the Common Snipe. Other North American relatives are the Woodcock and both Dowitcher species. Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata Boundary Bay Airport Delta BC British Columbia Canada grass camouflage brown green beak blogger com shorebird bird outdoor animal landscape
Wilson's Snipe - Delta
In an old sawmill lot in Malakwa I heard the tell tale call of a spotted sandpiper. You would think it would be easy to locate the bouncy bird, however, it took me more than three minutes to finally find him on his perch on this old gnarled log. Just behind the greenery is an old oxbow section of the Eagle River where the shorebird is bound to find plenty to eat. My guess was there was a nest near by so I didn't get too close. Michael Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Spotted Sandpiper - Malakwa
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Whimbrel - Tsawwassen
This unexpected Wilson's Snipe was sunning itself after a cold spell here in Vancouver. This photo was taken at the Boundary Bay Airport along one of the wet fields to the north of the airport. These very secretive birds typically are only seen when you flush them from cover as you have come too close so I was quite lucky to get these shots. The North American Snipe has, in the last 15 years, been split from its cousin in Europe, the Common Snipe. Other North American relatives are the Woodcock and both Dowitcher species. Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata Boundary Bay Airport Delta BC British Columbia Canada grass camouflage brown green beak blogger com shorebird bird outdoor animal landscape
Wilson's Snipe - Delta
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Pectoral Sandpiper - Iona Island, BC
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Black Turnstone - Tsawwassen, BC
Wandering Tattler - Iona Jetty, BC Found this thick-legged shorebird among the rip rap on the north side of the Iona Jetty, just north of the Vancouver airport. It was a little more skittish that the bird that was close to the same location last fall. Picture
Wandering Tattler - Iona Jetty, BC
Western Sandpiper, Blackie Spit, BC Picture
Western Sandpiper - Blackie Spit, BC
Solitary Sandpiper - Sweetwater Wetlands, AZ Solitary sandpiper picking through the stream at the front entrance to Sweetwater Wetlands Park, Tucson in Dec. This guy made the rare bird list while I was visiting as he was a little out of his range at the time. Michael W Klotz 2006 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Solitary Sandpiper - Sweetwater Wetlands, AZ
Whimbrel - Malibu, CA Headed up shore with his mates from Malibu Lagoon. I bit of a head wind gave me the time to grab this nice shot Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Whimbrel - Malibu, CA
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Lesser Yellowlegs - Iona Island, BC
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Dunlin - Iona Causeway, BC
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Wandering Tatler - Iona Jetty, BC