{"id":87112,"date":"2021-05-08T05:13:25","date_gmt":"2021-05-08T11:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=87112"},"modified":"2025-09-06T18:24:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T23:24:17","slug":"my-first-of-season-spotted-sandpiper-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/05\/08\/my-first-of-season-spotted-sandpiper-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"My First Of Season Spotted Sandpiper Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AdultAdult Spotted Sandpiper perched on a stump \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I took my first of season Spotted Sandpiper photos yesterday morning high in the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a> as I sat in my Jeep next to a creek. I had been photographing Yellow Warblers flitting around in a nearby willow thicket when I heard the distinctive call<\/span><\/a> of a Spotted Sandpiper. I truly missed hearing those calls over the winter.<\/p>\n

I moved my Jeep forward, located the Spotted Sandpiper where it was perched on a stump, and started taking photos of it in the bright morning light.<\/p>\n

\"CallingCalling adult Spotted Sandpiper \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

As I photographed the Spotted Sandpiper it started to call. It is early enough in the breeding season here in northern Utah that this sandpiper may have been advertising its presence to any other Spotted Sandpipers in the general area.<\/p>\n

\"SpringSpring Spotted Sandpiper in northern Utah \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The adult Spotted Sandpiper preened and fluffed while it kept an eye out for other birds and aerial predators.<\/p>\n

This adult is in its breeding plumage or as it is also known its Definitive Alternate Plumage. Spotted Sandpipers are well named at least while they are in breeding plumage.<\/p>\n

\"SpottedSpotted Sandpiper on oyster shells \u2013 Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1\/800, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

In their nonbreeding plumage or Definitive Basic Plumage they have no spots. This Spotted Sandpiper in nonbreeding plumage was photographed in Florida in March of 2009. I have included this photo for comparison. I think they are beautiful sandpipers with or without their spots.<\/p>\n

I am delighted that these shorebirds have returned to Utah for their breeding season.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/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 took my first of season Spotted Sandpiper photos yesterday morning high in the Wasatch Mountains as I sat in my Jeep next to a creek.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":154679,"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":[27,25,704,2000,504,1731,26,773],"tags":[2209,4004,4053,4072,3940,3843,5606,4642,4069,4246,4104,3521,992,274,2407,165,5113,3996],"class_list":["post-87112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-florida","category-fort-de-soto-county-park","category-pinellas-county-florida","category-spotted-sandpipers","category-summit-county-utah","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-actitis-macularia","tag-adult","tag-breeding-plumage","tag-calling","tag-canyon","tag-creek","tag-definitive-alternate-plumage","tag-definitive-basic-plumage","tag-mountains","tag-nonbreeding-plumage","tag-perched","tag-sandpiper","tag-sandpipers","tag-shorebirds-2","tag-spotted-sandpiper","tag-spring","tag-stump","tag-water"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-adult-stump-calling-mia-mcpherson-4590.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-mF2","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":87112,"position":0},"title":"Happy 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2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I only had this Spotted Sandpiper in my view for about 24 seconds and I'd say more than half of that was spent flying around so I am glad that I was able to take this photo at all.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spotted Sandpiper at water's edge, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-in-a-creek-mia-mcpherson-3213.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-in-a-creek-mia-mcpherson-3213.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-in-a-creek-mia-mcpherson-3213.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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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, 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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, 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