« Reply #2322 on: August 20, 2013, 05:06:22 PM »
Ah, since we're on the topic here's one I shot in April I thought was a lesser yellowlegs but I'm being told it's not. Any idea?
It's a fair sized bird maybe about the size of a Canadian robin.
Jack
Jack
It's a green sandpiper. I took a photo of one with a little egret and a dragonfly on Sunday. Guess which is which?
Alan, your sandpiper is actually a bit different than Jack's. His is definitely a Solitary Sandpiper, as evidenced by the spots on its back (which your sandpiper lacks...indicating it is in non-breeding plumage, while solitaries maintain their spots in non-breeding plumage.) Additionally, I do not believe Green Sandpipers visit North America, and as Jack is from Canada, that lends more credence to the id being a Solitary Sandpiper.
You are most probably right, but the green sandpiper usually does have spots on its back, mine is a juvenile bird - see Wikipedia:
"This species is a somewhat plump wader with a dark greenish-brown back and wings, greyish head and breast and otherwise white underparts. The back is spotted white to varying extents, being maximal in the breeding adult, and less in winter and young birds. The legs and short bill are both dark green.
It is conspicuous and characteristically patterned in flight, with the wings dark above and below and a brilliant white rump. The latter feature reliably distinguishes it from the slightly smaller but otherwise very similar Solitary Sandpiper (T. solitaria) of North America." Canada is part of the Commonwealth, spelling such words as colour correctly so you never who might be visiting from here.
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