Stilt Sandpiper

Hey guys welcome back! Hooray! More shorebirds! Hahaha! Yes, another shorebird, today the stilt sandpiper. Pretty much exclusively a visitor to the US during migration, the stilt sandpiper looks similar in plumage to its small peep relatives, but stands much taller. Size-wise think a pectoral sandpiper on stilts. Hence the name I suppose. Breeding plumage shows a bright rufous, almost orange, face and a contrasting mottled brown. Non-breeding plumage is very subdued, reminiscent of a nonbreeding willet. They have greenish-yellow legs, but they usually aren’t bright yellow like the two yellowlegs.

To date, I’ve only seen one. It was at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. To be honest, I was a noob at shorebirds at the time, and some birders I was talking to pointed it out to me. I may not have been able to ID it myself. A lot has changed though. I’ve gotten much better at shorebirds. One thing I’ve learned as a birder is to trust my gut. More times than not, it’s right. We leave the shore next time, and head to the sky. Borad-winged hawk is next. See you then!