Sutherland Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 I spotted these three birds last Saturday around 6:00 pm. They are perched on a cluster of timber in Salt Creek in the Fullersburg Woods nature preserve in Oak Brook, IL. The birds spent most of their time perched on the wood. Occasionally they would fly to the river bank (I couldn't see if they landed on the ground or the trees - I was very far away). They would then fly back to the timbers, and it looked like they dove for fish a couple of times, then waded in the water for a short while and then flew back to the timber. I looked on the Merlin app but could not find any shorebirds that were not spotted or that looked like these birds. According to Merlin, the most likely birds on this date and this location include: Kildeer Spotted Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper Lesser Yellowlegs Pectoral Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Semipalmated Sandpiper Semipalmated Plover Sorry for the blurry photos: they were shot with a 400mm lens and I zeroed in on the birds in Lightroom at 100%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birds are cool Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 They look like solitary sandpipers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanager 101 Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 Just now, Birds are cool said: They look like solitary sandpipers. They look like Spotted to me..... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean C Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 Spotted Sandpipers 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birds are cool Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Tanager 101 said: They look like Spotted to me..... Change my mind. Nonbreeding spotted. Edited July 20, 2022 by Birds are cool Wrong word Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sutherland Posted July 20, 2022 Author Share Posted July 20, 2022 Thanks, guys. Both spotted and solitary have been sighted in this location. What threw me is the lack of spots. Is it because they are juveniles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanager 101 Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 1 minute ago, Sutherland said: Thanks, guys. Both spotted and solitary have been sighted in this location. What threw me is the lack of spots. Is it because they are juveniles? To me they appear to be non-breeding Spotted. 3 minutes ago, Birds are cool said: They don't seem to be as chunky as a spotted, and have a black line through their eyes. Spotted can have a black (ish) line through the eye. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/444154751#_ga=2.18487225.1075641776.1657998529-1897469110.1656449089 Almost all spotted sandpipers I see are slim, not chunky. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sutherland Posted July 20, 2022 Author Share Posted July 20, 2022 Thanks very much!!! I really appreciate the expert opinions delivered in such a timely fashion late in the evening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birds are cool Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 2 minutes ago, Tanager 101 said: To me they appear to be non-breeding Spotted. Spotted can have a black (ish) line through the eye. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/444154751#_ga=2.18487225.1075641776.1657998529-1897469110.1656449089 Almost all spotted sandpipers I see are slim, not chunky. I see lots of chunky spotted sandpipers. The line through the eye through me off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 Definitely Spotted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 10 hours ago, Sean C said: Spotted Sandpipers Nice to see you back @Sean C! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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