Sanderling
Here we have a Sanderling (Calidris alba), a bird that spends its winter on our sandy beaches before heading to the High Arctic for the nesting season. They are often misidentified as Piping Plovers during migratory periods as both small, white shorebirds (in nonbreeding plumage for the Sanderling anyway) feed along the water like this. A rufous breeding plumage pattern takes over where the gray is, and by May these birds look unique and spectacular. So much change in so little time…and so much flight distance covered before they nest and head back to us later in the summer. If that...
Read MoreDecember Great Egrets
Last night I inquired about seeing long-legged waders further north than usual, and here are some! I photographed these Great Egrets, part of a group of three to sometimes six individuals, this past weekend during some surveys in Connecticut. The Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds is a year-round effort, but usually we only expect to see a handful of species at this point of the bird wintering season such as the Dunlin, Sanderling, Black-bellied Plover and Great Blue Heron. There are still Snowy Egrets hanging out in the heat, too…strange sights for a season when there is usually...
Read MoreSanderlings on the Beach
I took these Sanderling photos earlier this season before the Atlantic coast of New England was battered by repeated nor’easters and major winter storms, leaving snow and ice coating much of the shoreline. Watching them feed in the tide, darting back and forth with the water and running through the sand, is such a pleasant and relaxing diversion on a bright winter day. Shorebirds will soon be on the move back to the north, and we at the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds are ready! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreGreater Yellowlegs feeding alone
This Greater Yellowlegs was found foraging alone in a shallow, still and serene November pond. It may seem lonely in this location but many of its friends and counterparts, I am certain, were not far away. A bunch of long-legged waders were enjoying the same waters. On that very day I recorded Dunlin, Sanderling, Black-bellied Plovers, and likely Short-billed Dowitchers. Who said shorebirding in New England couldn’t be a Thanksgiving sport? Thanks, climate change! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreSanderling (Calidris alba) by Scott Kruitbosch
This Sanderling (Calidris alba) is wondering where all the Piping Plovers are. A few have finally made their way to Long Island and Massachusetts but I have yet to receive a confirmed report for cold Connecticut. Last March our first individual was two weeks ago! Weather and climate play such an enormous role in the lives and successful breeding of our birds, especially those on the coast. Hurry up, PIPL!
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