The Western Sandpiper

This Western Sandpiper was photographed at Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast one early morning in September. It took me a while to identify the actually species due to the fact that the plumage varies between juveniles and breeding adults. Western Sandpipers are the most abundant shorebird in the Western Hemisphere.

During spring migration there can be spectacularly humongous flocks along the Pacific Coast, however on this day I had the opportunity to see one up close. Seeing a huge flock of  Western Sandpipers during spring migration is an awesome spectacle, conversely not being distracted by the sheer volume of birds in those flocks and being able to focusing on one specimen and its every detail is magical. Within a short time frame I was able to take several pictures of the Sandpiper in various stances as it probed along the beach in search of insect larvae, worms and crustaceans.

They are a small sandpiper with short neck and moderately long bill, with a slight droop. Their legs are reasonably long and black. The Western Sandpiper has a black center of rump and tail back that is gray-brown with some reddish. Chest usually only lightly marked while in breeding plumage has chestnut on back, crown, and back of face.

EXIF Data

Aperture – ƒ/6.3
Camera – NIKON D90
Date Created – 2013:09:07 09:45
Focal length – 500mm
ISO – 400
Exposure Time – 1/1600