{"id":90610,"date":"2021-06-20T05:54:29","date_gmt":"2021-06-20T11:54:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=90610"},"modified":"2025-09-07T15:20:39","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T20:20:39","slug":"spotted-sandpiper-foraging-in-common-water-crowfoot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/06\/20\/spotted-sandpiper-foraging-in-common-water-crowfoot\/","title":{"rendered":"Spotted Sandpiper Foraging In White Water Crowfoot"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AdultAdult Spotted Sandpiper foraging in White Water Crowfoot \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Two days ago I photographed an adult Spotted Sandpiper foraging in White Water Crowfoot in a creek in the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 I see as many as three Spotted Sandpipers reliably in this area but most of the time it is just one or two adults. It is a little bit early in the breeding season to see Spotted Sandpiper chicks though I have been watching for them.<\/p>\n

Because of our continuing drought conditions in northern Utah the creek is lower than I have ever seen it flowing in June. Also because of the drought sandbars in this creek have started to grow grasses on small sand spits that are usually still under water at this time of the year and that will make photographing any of the sandpiper chicks I see harder this year.<\/p>\n

\"SpottedSpotted Sandpiper with prey in its bill \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/640, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve blown this photo up as far as I could on my computer screen but could not tell what they prey was that the Spotted Sandpiper adult had in its bill. My best guess would be a dragonfly or nymph or some type of stonefly or mayfly nymph. The matted foliage of the White Water Crowfoot would protect the nymphs from fish getting to them but not the sandpipers when the water is as low as it is flowing now.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Spotted Sandpiper foraging in a mountain creek \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This Spotted Sandpiper bobbed its bottom as if foraged in the aquatic wildflowers and called<\/span><\/a> a few times. When it was done foraging in the area it flew past me and headed south towards another section of the creek.<\/p>\n

I do wonder if our drought continues if I will still see the Spotted Sandpipers near the creek. Like many birds they require specific habitat and conditions to breed and nest and those conditions have been changing before my very eyes over the past several years. Time will tell.<\/p>\n

It has been a week since I was bitten by the Deer Fly that caused my hand to swell, hurt, and itch. Today the only symptom I still have is that top of my left hand is still itchy but I believe that is because my hand swelled so much that it stretched my skin which caused tiny cracks. I’ll continue to apply lotion to help with that.<\/p>\n

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

Happy Father’s Day!<\/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":"

Two days ago I photographed an adult Spotted Sandpiper foraging in Common Water-Crowfoot in a creek in the Wasatch Mountains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":154715,"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":[27,504,1731,26,773,5347],"tags":[2209,4004,11912,3940,11908,3843,4136,4069,4302,4106,11909,3521,992,2407,165,3996,11910,11911,3896],"class_list":["post-90610","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","category-wildflowers","tag-actitis-macularia","tag-adult","tag-aquatic-wildflower","tag-canyon","tag-common-water-crowfoot","tag-creek","tag-foraging","tag-mountains","tag-native","tag-prey","tag-ranunculus-aquatilis","tag-sandpiper","tag-sandpipers","tag-spotted-sandpiper","tag-spring","tag-water","tag-white-water-buttercup","tag-white-water-crowfoot","tag-wildflower"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-adult-foraging-mia-mcpherson-6544.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-nzs","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":91759,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/07\/07\/one-spotted-sandpiper-that-is-no-more\/","url_meta":{"origin":90610,"position":0},"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, 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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, 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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":87112,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/05\/08\/my-first-of-season-spotted-sandpiper-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":90610,"position":4},"title":"My First Of Season Spotted Sandpiper Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Calling adult Spotted Sandpiper, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-adult-stump-calling-mia-mcpherson-4590.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-stump-calling-mia-mcpherson-4590.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-adult-stump-calling-mia-mcpherson-4590.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Wild and totally unexpected!","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spotted Sandpiper on a log floating down the Arkansas River, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/spotted-sandpiper-log-arkansas-river-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/spotted-sandpiper-log-arkansas-river-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/spotted-sandpiper-log-arkansas-river-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/spotted-sandpiper-log-arkansas-river-mia-mcpherson-1777.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\/90610","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=90610"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90610\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}