Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: shorebirds

Dowitchers and two Pectoral Sandpipers

09 Oct 2007 131
I was very lucky to be given the chance to go east of the city this afternoon, searching for birds. At Langdon Reservoir, there were many thousands of shorebirds in the water and on the mudflats. Most were Dowitchers, but we were lucky enough to see three Pectoral Sandpipers (a new bird for me!). I even managed to get several photos of both species. In this one, the Dowitchers are the ones further away, and the (smaller) Sandpipers are in the foreground. Very attractive birds. In the larger size, you can better see the longish, yellow legs of the Sandpiper; brown breast streaks which contrast with the light underparts; black, slightly-downcurved bill. The Pectoral Sandpiper does not nest in Alberta.