Odd Pigment Least Sandpiper
Here’s another odd coloration on a Least Sandpiper from Hornsby yesterday. I had a similar one last year. The least in the back is more normal colored. The front one looked almost red in person.



Here’s another odd coloration on a Least Sandpiper from Hornsby yesterday. I had a similar one last year. The least in the back is more normal colored. The front one looked almost red in person.



13 Species of shorebirds at Hornsby this morning, plus first of season (for me) of these quackers.
14 species of shorebird at Hornsby this morning. I’m surprised I haven’t seen Western or WHite-rumped Sandpipers yet. The fun part today was 20 Hudsonian Godwits flying over the ponds and then 4 landed and stuck around for 15 minutes.
Saw some rain coming yesterday so headed to Hornsby for another shorebird and migrant fix!! Lots of White-rumped Sand, a flyby of 3 Black-bellied Plovers, Semipalm plovers, beautiful breeding plumage phalaropes, Dowitchers, and Stilt sands and the first time to ever see all 5 peeps on the same day!! Also lots of wet swallows, migrating…
a few from recent Hornsby visits.
I showed my friend Kelly the phalarope feeding technique using surface tension and he showed me the old drafting ruling pens using the same principle. So naturally we had to try it ourselves!!
Always something new dropping into Hornsby this time of year!!! 3 new species for 2023 for me at Hornsby today. Love migration!!! And Killdeer already have a chick!! What do ya’ll think about the 4 Ibis?