I found a very nicely marked juvenile Stilt Sandpiper at Leonard's Pond
this afternoon. It had the long yellowish legs, very distinct dark
eyeline that broadened to a cheek patch, and a very bright white
superciliary line that also widened somewhat behind the eye and contrasted
with the dark eyestripe and the somewhat darker crown. It also showed the
rather heavy, slightly drooping long bill that is shown in all the books.
It fed constantly in the "deeper" water, showing the dowitcher-like sewing
machine feeding habit. It flew once as I approached the pond showing the
white tail/rump area and my first reaction was that I had found a
White-rumped Sandpiper. However when I got the scope on it, it was
clearly a Stilt Sandpiper. I have some semi-decent photos that I will try
to post on the ShenValBirds Yahoo site. They aren't digiscoped shots but
they may be of some value.
There were also about 15 Killdeer, 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper, 1 Least
Sandpiper, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, and a Spotted Sandpiper at the pond.
Clair Mellinger
--
Biology Department
Eastern Mennonite University
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
540 432-4409
mellinac@xxxxxxx
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