Chirps and Cheeps

A Photo Journal of My Birding Adventures & Observations

My birding blog site


  Shorebird Arrivals

Published: April 19, 2015
Tags: General Observations, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Upland Sandpiper, Great Blue Heron, Merlin, Brown Thrasher

Shorebirds are beginning to arrive! So far, on my recent travels, I've seen: Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpipers, a Solitary Sandpiper, and Upland Sandpipers.

My favorite of these shorebirds is the Upland Sandpiper.  Their bubbling call is incredible - a must-hear for every birder!  To listen to a recording, go here: Cornell Lab of Ornithology's recording of an Upland Sandpiper.

The Upland Sandpiper, related to curlews, is a rather tall sandpiper with a small dove-like head.  It needs a rather specific habitat of grassy fields.  This habitat is becoming scarce due to human encroachment and our insatiable need to mow and destroy every available bit of land that we can get our hands on. Therefore, the Upland Sandpiper is becoming more and more rare and is showing sharp population declines.

On a brighter note, while I was out looking for shorebirds, I found a Merlin zooming through the area on a hunt. Miraculously, I captured a photo of it and have it posted below.

Speaking of  neat bird calls, on this same outing, I also happened to hear the incredible chattering of a Brown Thrasher again. Wow - amazing sounds! I had the hardest time finding my first thrasher when I first started birding, but now that I'm tuned-in to their mimicry and repetitious chatter, I seem to find them most everywhere I go.

blog photo
Upland Sandpiper

blog photo
Upland Sandpiper

blog photo
Upland Sandpiper

blog photo
Long-distance shot of a Solitary Sandpiper (on the right, a Killdeer is on the left)

blog photo
Two Greater Yellowlegs

blog photo
Lesser Yellowlegs

blog photo
Distant and cropped shot of a FOY Spotted Sandpiper

blog photo
Spotted Sandpiper flying to a different spot on the pond

blog photo
Great Blue Heron

blog photo
Merlin

blog photo
Brown Thrasher

blog photo
Brown Thrasher

Reply from: shelley on 4/22/2015 9:57 AM
 as always, gorgeous photos Sue and i just LOVE your anecdotes and informative descriptions!!
Reply from: Larry on 4/22/2015 5:41 PM
 I love coming across thrashers.They are much harder to find in CT than catbirds or Mockingbirds.Nice collection of photos-you get some pretty good shorebirds up your way!


button link to my bird search