Posted by Buck Ward on October 31, 2009 at 8:43 PM
My ID of this bird vacillates between sanderling and some other peep, perhaps semipalmated sandpiper.
Late August, beach flat, southwest Florida.
I'd appreciate an ID from you astute bird IDers out there.
Posted by Jim DeWitt on November 1, 2009 at 12:41 AM
I don't know about "astute," but I'd call it a Semi-palmated Sandpiper. Because it's moulting - note the couple of rufous feathers left in the coverts - I'm a little uncertain, especially as to an August bird. But the rounder head and strong cheek patch say SESA to me.
Posted by Drew Fulton on November 1, 2009 at 10:05 AM
Buck,
I'm not all that confident with the Peeps but I am pretty confident to say that it is a peep, rather than a Sanderling. That distinction comes from the fact that the bird is just too dark above to be a Sanderling, particularly a non-breeding bird which Late -August is right on the border. If its molting and in between these too plumages, this bird should be a combinaton of the very light Gray bird and a very rufous breeding bird. This bird seems more brown than rufous.
Now, to consider the peeps. In August, in Florida, you've got a lot of options. The two I'd like to compare are the Western and Semipalmated. A really tough ID. In breeding plumage, not all that difficult. The streakd breast on the western extends much farther down the breast, essentially on to the belly. They also are typically a little more rufous than gray-brown. The facial pattern also seems to be much more contrasty in a Western. Putting all that together, the facial pattern is there but not hugely contrasty, the breast streaking doesn't go all the way to the legs (though a bit tough to judge in this pose), and the overall color is more gray/brown than rufous/brown. I vote for Semipalmated Sandpiper as well.
Reading about the molt, Semipalmateds molt later, retaining some juv/breeding plumage into Nov where Westerns should be nearly through molting by September.
Discussion
2 repliesLate August, beach flat, southwest Florida.
I'd appreciate an ID from you astute bird IDers out there.
I'm not all that confident with the Peeps but I am pretty confident to say that it is a peep, rather than a Sanderling. That distinction comes from the fact that the bird is just too dark above to be a Sanderling, particularly a non-breeding bird which Late -August is right on the border. If its molting and in between these too plumages, this bird should be a combinaton of the very light Gray bird and a very rufous breeding bird. This bird seems more brown than rufous.
Now, to consider the peeps. In August, in Florida, you've got a lot of options. The two I'd like to compare are the Western and Semipalmated. A really tough ID. In breeding plumage, not all that difficult. The streakd breast on the western extends much farther down the breast, essentially on to the belly. They also are typically a little more rufous than gray-brown. The facial pattern also seems to be much more contrasty in a Western. Putting all that together, the facial pattern is there but not hugely contrasty, the breast streaking doesn't go all the way to the legs (though a bit tough to judge in this pose), and the overall color is more gray/brown than rufous/brown. I vote for Semipalmated Sandpiper as well.
Reading about the molt, Semipalmateds molt later, retaining some juv/breeding plumage into Nov where Westerns should be nearly through molting by September.
Thats my thinking at least!
Drew