Re: [cobirds] Re: Lake Henry sandpiper

Comments from Kevin Zimmer (VENT tour leader & currently in Alaska) who sees both species annually. For the record, I agree with Kevin and believe the bird to be a Purple sandpiper and not Rock Sandpiper for all the reasons he mentions below.

Hi Rachel -  I'm in Alaska right now, getting ready to start a Ross's Gull migration tour.  Without even looking at plumage characters, which vary greatly from one subspecies of Rock Sandpiper to another, I would say your bird is a Purple Sandpiper, based strictly on the distinctly orange legs/feet and base to the bill.  Every Rock Sandpiper that I've seen in winter plumage has dull greenish bare parts, nothing like the rather bright orange-yellow of your bird, which does match Purple Sandpiper.  I think Purples are a lot more prone to long distance vagrancy too -- I've seen them on the Texas coast.

Kevin Zimmer

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Rachel Kolokoff Hopper

Ft. Collins

On Oct 7, 2022, at 6:39 PM, Norm Erthal <normanerthal@gmail.com> wrote:

I have found photos of rock sandpiper with very orange bills. 

//www.bing.com/search?q=rock+sandpiper+photos&form=ANNTH1&refig=e19183eaabfc45d0a0e2191822671bf4&sp=2&qs=SC&pq=rock+sndpiper&sk=PRES1SC1&sc=3-13&cvid=e19183eaabfc45d0a0e2191822671bf4

The left phot in the first row is only one that shows very orange

Norman Erthal

On Friday, October 7, 2022 at 2:17:47 PM UTC-6 Joey Kellner wrote:

COBIRDERS,

 

I've attached a number of photos showing different views/angles of the PURPLE/ROCK SANDPIPER.  The very pale underwings and thick, white upperwing seem consistent with Rock Sandpiper (however I do not know about immature plumages of Purple Sandpiper).  The bill and leg color and the overall face pattern look better for Purple Sandpiper.

 

Purple Sandpiper is more likely distribution-wise, but "birds have wings".

 

Perhaps someone can forward the below link to Paul Lehmann since he has extensive experience with Rock Sandpipers in juv. and imm. Plumages.

 

Below is the link…you all can view and consult various references.

 

https://ebird.org/checklist/S120137387

 

 

Joey Kellner

Littleton, Colorado

 

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