The most surprising and wonderful bird I saw and photographed on Thursday with my friend, April Olson, was a migrating Least Sandpiper in the Kamas Valley.
Least Sandpiper in the Kamas Valley of Utah – Nikon D500, f9, 1/800, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
We had stopped along the dirt road to photograph a small flock of Killdeer when this shorebird flew in. At first, I thought that it was a Pectoral Sandpiper, but I came to realize that this was a Least Sandpiper.
Size in the field can be deceiving.
The shape of this sandpiper, its posture, plumage coloration, and shorter yellow legs should have given me all the clues I needed for a positive identification.
But, to be fair to myself, it has been several years since I have had a Least Sandpiper in my viewfinder.
This is why I never claim to be an expert in bird ID. Yes, I am good at it, I am skilled and knowledgeable about birds.
My brain gets picked all the time for bird identification and if I can identify the bird, I gladly provide the information to the person asking. If I can’t, I feel no shame for not knowing, but I can usually narrow it down enough to make an educated guess. Yet, I have never claimed to be an expert, either in person or in writing. I wouldn’t and couldn’t feel good about myself if I pretended to be something that I know I am not.
Back to this Least Sandpiper.
Fall shorebird migration starts as early as July so seeing a Least Sandpiper this time of the year isn’t what was surprising for me last week. What did surprise me was seeing this Least Sandpiper this time of the year at an altitude of nearly 6,500 feet. The Kamas Valley is a mountain valley.
However, I have learned that during migration, I should expect to see birds in unexpected locations. In other words, I sometimes find them in habitats I wouldn’t expect to find them in at any other time of the year.
I was thrilled to photograph this Least Sandpiper in the Kamas Valley of Utah. It was a great to spend the day with April, too.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Least Sandpiper photos plus facts and information about this species.
Trying to wrap my head around a sandpiper staining on grass. 😉 This is a great shot!
I am glad that you were able to capture it – and that you and April had a good day. Here’s to many more of them.
Nice photo, it was fun to see. The bird was too far out for my lens, glad you were able to capture a photo!