photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Rick Bowes | all galleries >> 2013 Various Galleries >> Photos Taken on Duxbury Beach during 2013 - a gallery for each month >> MIscellaneous sightings -leucistic birds etc > Semipalmated Sandpiper - buff-colored - Crescent Beach, Plymouth, MA [6 of 6] - 2011 July 21
previous | next
21-JUL-2011

Semipalmated Sandpiper - buff-colored - Crescent Beach, Plymouth, MA [6 of 6] - 2011 July 21

This bird was observed at Crescent Beach (south-facing beach on the Saquish portion of Duxbury Beach - actually in Plymouth, MA). It was in a flock of Semipalmated Sandpipers behaving just like its peers - but its color made it stick out. Because the back is brown at first I though it was a Least Sandpiper but on closer look (black legs, bill, and general gizz relative to nearby Leasts)concluded that it was an aberrant Semipalmated. I do not know what causes ths. Some have speculated that it must have "gotten into something" but that didn't seem to compute given the even nature of the coloring and the brownness of the back/wings. (Postscript: An identical bird (must be the same one!) was seen in the same spot 2 years later (7/20/13 vs 7/21/11). This suggests that the color is part of the bird itself.

Canon EOS 40D
1/400s f/7.1 at 300.0mm iso400 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
previous | next
share
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment