#western sandpiper

[antiqueanimals]

Florida Wildlife; vol. 12, no. 2. July, 1958. Illustration by Wallace Hughes.

Internet Archive

[haveyouseenthisbirdpoll]

Photo source 1

Photo source 2

Map source

[sugiichi]

Calidris mauri [ヒメハマシギ,Western Sandpiper]

Calidris alpina [ハマシギ,Dunlin]

久々に海へ。 ヒメハマシギ、小さくてかわいかったです。初見初撮。 鳥まで距離がありましたが何とか証拠写真。 後ろはハマシギです。

[snototter]

A flock of western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) landing in Morro Bay, California

by marlin harms

[battle-of-the-birds]

Remember to read about the contestants before voting!

Western Sandpiper

These beach combing fellows wander up and down the beach, in huge flocks, looking for biofilm. For a long time, scientists thought Western Sandpipers ate only invertebrates from the sands, but actually they’re on the hunt for a delicious, slimy set of microorganisms! Learn More!

Steller's Sea Eagle

The Steller’s Sea Eagle is one of the heaviest birds in the world. They eat mainly fish, although their second favorite food is seagulls and other, smaller birds. They breed up in Russia, and then winter south, in Japan and other parts of Asia. Their current population is estimated at 5,000 individuals and decreasing, and are considered vulnerable. Learn More!

(Western Sandpiper photo by Derek Lecy) (Steller's Sea Eagle photo by Ian Davies)

[blogbirdfeather]

Western Sandpiper - Pilrito-miúdo (Calidris mauri): adult

Oeiras/Portugal (22/09/2023)

[Nikon D500; AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5,6E PF ED VR]

[camouflage-birds]

Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)

© Bill Holland

[northernpintail]

Shorebirds! I believe this is a western sandpiper and a lesser yellowlegs

[lowcountry-gothic]

The Twelve Days of Christmas, by Halsey Berryman.

[kavohh707]

2024 - Bird year in review - part 3.

Part three belongs to the many small trips I was able to do - to the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, the nature reserve just outside of my city and the moorlands with the cranes. As always it is a joy to watch birds in all those places and I am very greatful for the people building and keeping the bird hides.

And although I have seen all of these birds before and have taken pictures of them before, but I still enjoy every moment with them and every picture.

[kurikorso]

some soup for the traveler on the edge of town

[calicocorvid]

Save Barr Lake Series.

Barr Lake State Park is located in Brighton, CO. It is a crucial resting ground for hundreds of thousands of migrating birds, as well as numerous year round residents.

In September of 2023, the company FRICO, who owns the water rights to the reservoir, began removing cottonwood trees and destroying the marshes that so many birds rely on during their migrations. This was in an effort to expand the reservoir for increased strain by fracking, oil, and gas companies in the area.

Despite the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies having an important bird banding research station near the destruction, they were not consulted about the environmental impacts until after public outcry. The ongoing construction may impact the Eagles returning this January to begin building their nests for the spring breeding season - the effects are yet to be seen.

[herpsandbirds]

The Magic in the Mud:  Sandpipers’ Migration Superfood

An invisible fuel draws thousands of tiny migrating shorebirds to the Roberts Bank Mudflats each year. Now, we’re in danger of losing it forever.

Western sandpipers migrate thousands of kilometres north along the Pacific coast from their overwintering areas as far south as Peru to their breeding grounds in Alaska. These shorebirds, weighing no more than 35 grams, stop at just a handful of places along the North American Pacific Flyway to refuel. Roberts Bank is one of these stopover sites, on the Fraser River estuary in British Columbia. A top biodiversity hotspot in Canada, it’s globally classified as an Important Bird Area...

Read more: https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/the-magic-in-the-mud-sandpipers-migration-superfood

[thelostcanyon]

Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri), Willcox, Cochise County, Arizona.

[battle-of-the-birds]

Remember to read about the contestants before voting!

Andean Cock of the Rock

Known for their mohawk head of hair and funny name, the Andean Cock of the Rock is the national bird of Peru. The males will join up in large groups, called "leks", performing for females who watch the hunk buffet. They mainly eat fruits and insects, however they will also feast on small lizards and amphibians. Learn More!

Western Sandpiper

These beach combing fellows wander up and down the beach, in huge flocks, looking for biofilm. For a long time, scientists thought Western Sandpipers ate only invertebrates from the sands, but actually they’re on the hunt for a delicious, slimy set of microorganisms! Learn More!

(Andean Cock of the Rock photo by Ben Lucking)

(Western Sandpiper photo by Dorian Anderson)

[whatsthebird]

Week of 23Mar2025 Answers

Answers hidden under the cut.

491 - Rusty Blackbird by @strawberrygiorno

492 - Scissor-tailed Flycatcher by @nohriantomatoes

493 - None of the Above: European Greenfinch by @benidryl

494 - Western Kingbird by @aeyriabird

495 - Fieldfare by @etchif

496 - Solitary Sandpiper by @silvermonarchs

497 - Common Gallinule by @mysticetus

How many birds did you get right? Consider adding correct birds to your WTB Life List!

As always, birding is a cooperative experience. Help your fellow birders out by discussing key features that help identity and distinguish a bird in the notes.

Finally, let's give a feathery thank you to this week's submitters.

Keep the game alive! Submit a bird HERE -or- submit as and ask!