{"id":71675,"date":"2020-07-06T05:20:59","date_gmt":"2020-07-06T11:20:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=71675"},"modified":"2025-09-06T17:04:51","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T22:04:51","slug":"adult-spotted-sandpiper-walking-on-an-exposed-creek-bed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/07\/06\/adult-spotted-sandpiper-walking-on-an-exposed-creek-bed\/","title":{"rendered":"Adult Spotted Sandpiper Walking On An Exposed Creek Bed"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AdultAdult Spotted Sandpiper walking on exposed creek bed \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I haven’t seen any Spotted Sandpiper chicks so far this breeding season but that doesn’t mean they haven’t hatched yet.<\/p>\n

Last week while I was up in the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a> I had an adult Spotted Sandpiper fly in and land on a creek bed that has been exposed because the flow of water has decreased substantially since most of the snow in the mountains has melted. The sandpiper was in my view for less than a minute before it took off.<\/p>\n

I like the extremely long shadow of the sandpiper and how it had its foot raised.<\/p>\n

As I drove along the canyon there were places where I could hear adult Spotted Sandpipers calling to their young near the creek below me and the dirt road I was traveling on.<\/p>\n

So I know that some of the chicks have hatched, I just haven’t been near enough to photograph them. Last year I noticed that when the adults were watching over their chicks they repeat a soft call intermittently which might be a way of letting their chicks know that they are safe to forage.<\/p>\n

I looked for that call on xeno-canto.org but didn’t find the exact call I was looking for to share here. Perhaps I will be able record that call myself this year if I am lucky enough to have both adults and chicks right in front of me.<\/p>\n

Fingers are crossed!<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good. Stay safe.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Spotted Sandpiper photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I haven’t seen any Spotted Sandpiper chicks so far this breeding season but that doesn’t mean they haven’t hatched yet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":154656,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,504,1731,26,773],"tags":[2209,4004,3940,3843,7503,4069,3521,992,1994,2407,4236],"class_list":["post-71675","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-spotted-sandpipers","category-summit-county-utah","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-actitis-macularia","tag-adult","tag-canyon","tag-creek","tag-creek-bed","tag-mountains","tag-sandpiper","tag-sandpipers","tag-shadow","tag-spotted-sandpiper","tag-walking"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-creek-bank-mia-mcpherson-3832.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-iE3","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":103431,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/06\/19\/happy-fathers-day-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":71675,"position":0},"title":"Happy Father’s Day 2022","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Why would I select a sandpiper photograph to express my Happy Father's Day wishes to all the dads out there?","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spotted Sandpiper on a stump in a creek, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-fathers-day-mia-mcpherson-8135.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-fathers-day-mia-mcpherson-8135.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-fathers-day-mia-mcpherson-8135.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-fathers-day-mia-mcpherson-8135.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":91759,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/07\/07\/one-spotted-sandpiper-that-is-no-more\/","url_meta":{"origin":71675,"position":1},"title":"One Spotted Sandpiper That Is No More","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 7, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"I watched as the mink dashed across the shallow creek with the sandpiper in its jaws, climbed over a log, and out of my sight. That Spotted Sandpiper is no more.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spotted Sandpiper adult foraging on a dry creek bed, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-on-dry-creek-bed-mia-mcpherson-0437.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-on-dry-creek-bed-mia-mcpherson-0437.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-on-dry-creek-bed-mia-mcpherson-0437.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-on-dry-creek-bed-mia-mcpherson-0437.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59283,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/07\/31\/photographing-young-spotted-sandpiper-chicks\/","url_meta":{"origin":71675,"position":2},"title":"Photographing Young Spotted Sandpiper Chicks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 31, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I was able to get back out into the field yesterday and I had a marvelous time photographing young Spotted Sandpiper chicks and learning more about their behaviors near a creek in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Willows and a young Spotted Sandpiper chick, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-willows-mia-mcpherson-3862.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-willows-mia-mcpherson-3862.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-willows-mia-mcpherson-3862.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-willows-mia-mcpherson-3862.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":90610,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/06\/20\/spotted-sandpiper-foraging-in-common-water-crowfoot\/","url_meta":{"origin":71675,"position":3},"title":"Spotted Sandpiper Foraging In White Water Crowfoot","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 20, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago I photographed an adult Spotted Sandpiper foraging in Common Water-Crowfoot in a creek in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Spotted Sandpiper foraging in White Water Crowfoot, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-adult-foraging-mia-mcpherson-6544.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-adult-foraging-mia-mcpherson-6544.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-adult-foraging-mia-mcpherson-6544.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-adult-foraging-mia-mcpherson-6544.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72297,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/07\/29\/focusing-on-spotted-sandpiper-chicks\/","url_meta":{"origin":71675,"position":4},"title":"Focusing On Spotted Sandpiper Chicks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 29, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning the first birds I spotted in the high country of the Wasatch Mountains were two tiny, butt bouncing Spotted Sandpiper chicks foraging on their own.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spotted Sandpiper chick in an alpine creek, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-in-water-mia-mcpherson-2151.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-in-water-mia-mcpherson-2151.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-in-water-mia-mcpherson-2151.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-in-water-mia-mcpherson-2151.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72332,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/07\/31\/swimming-spotted-sandpiper-chick-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":71675,"position":5},"title":"Swimming Spotted Sandpiper Chick Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 31, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I was over the moon to be able to take these photos of the young Spotted Sandpiper swimming across the alpine creek because I've never had the opportunity to do so before.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spotted Sandpiper chick swimming across an alpine creek, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-swimming-in-creek-mia-mcpherson-3504.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-swimming-in-creek-mia-mcpherson-3504.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-swimming-in-creek-mia-mcpherson-3504.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/spotted-sandpiper-chick-swimming-in-creek-mia-mcpherson-3504.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71675","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71675"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71675\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71675"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71675"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71675"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}