{"id":91759,"date":"2021-07-07T05:21:14","date_gmt":"2021-07-07T11:21:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=91759"},"modified":"2025-09-16T15:17:20","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T20:17:20","slug":"one-spotted-sandpiper-that-is-no-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/07\/07\/one-spotted-sandpiper-that-is-no-more\/","title":{"rendered":"One Spotted Sandpiper That Is No More"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SpottedSpotted Sandpiper adult foraging on a dry creek bed \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

While up in the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a> yesterday I photographed two adult Spotted Sandpipers. The Spotted Sandpipers were foraging on the dry creek bed that has been exposed due to the lack of water. Over the past couple of years the water level has dropped so much that tall grasses now cover the creek bed that used to be under water.<\/p>\n

While photographing a Belted Kingfisher perched high on a dead willow across the creek I caught the flash of something dark move from the grasses on the close side of the creek towards one of the foraging adult Spotted Sandpipers in front of me. I realized in a split second that the dark form was an American Mink.<\/p>\n

The cover provided by the thick, tall grasses must have hidden the presence of the mink from the sandpiper because in the next second the mink attacked it. The Spotted Sandpiper let out a call I’d never heard before and then went silent.<\/p>\n

It was about that time that I pointed the mink out to my companion.<\/p>\n

After the attack, which they did not<\/em> see, they asked me what had happened.<\/p>\n

I watched as the mink dashed across the shallow creek with the sandpiper in its jaws and climbed over a log. The Spotted Sandpiper became the prey of the American Mink, which I don’t think of it a drama, is what I think of it as life.<\/p>\n

I don’t know if the Spotted Sandpiper in the photo above is the one that was killed by the mink. The other sandpiper disappeared after the attack.<\/p>\n

A little while later I pointed out two American Minks weaving their way through the tall grasses on the other side of the creek and moments later a third dropped into the creek for a second before it climbed out of the water and disappeared into the tall grasses. I was able to photograph that mink but my exposure was off.<\/p>\n

Just last week I saw Spotted Sandpipers mating in this same area and when I shared a photo of the female walking with one wing held high<\/span><\/a> I mentioned that I would be looking for sandpiper chicks in 19 to 22 days. After seeing what I saw yesterday I have to wonder if there will be any Spotted Sandpiper chicks on that section of the creek at all this season.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> temporary, fleeting, and above all, 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 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":154731,"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":[2209,4004,3940,7503,11961,4136,4069,9626,3521,992,274,2407],"class_list":["post-91759","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-bed","tag-dry-creek-bed","tag-foraging","tag-mountains","tag-riparian-habitat","tag-sandpiper","tag-sandpipers","tag-shorebirds-2","tag-spotted-sandpiper"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-on-dry-creek-bed-mia-mcpherson-0437.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-nRZ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":59283,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/07\/31\/photographing-young-spotted-sandpiper-chicks\/","url_meta":{"origin":91759,"position":0},"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":91759,"position":1},"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":103431,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/06\/19\/happy-fathers-day-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":91759,"position":2},"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":71675,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/07\/06\/adult-spotted-sandpiper-walking-on-an-exposed-creek-bed\/","url_meta":{"origin":91759,"position":3},"title":"Adult Spotted Sandpiper Walking On An Exposed Creek Bed","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 6, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I haven't seen any Spotted Sandpiper chicks so far this breeding season but that doesn't mean they haven't hatched yet.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Spotted Sandpiper walking on exposed creek bed, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-creek-bank-mia-mcpherson-3832.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-creek-bank-mia-mcpherson-3832.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-creek-bank-mia-mcpherson-3832.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotted-sandpiper-creek-bank-mia-mcpherson-3832.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":91759,"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":91759,"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\/91759","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=91759"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91759\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91759"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91759"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91759"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}