Re: [Maine-birds] sandpiper

Stella is right, a Sanderling. I don't think the primary coverts are visible, though. The white line we see along the lower edge of the wing is the exposed, broad white wing bar typically found on a Sanderling. That bar is a combination of white tips to the greater secondary coverts (or just greater coverts) and a fairly broad white base to the secondaries. Because the scapulars and median coverts are worn, the white bar is more visible than usual. Nothing abnormal about the pigments on this bird, I think.

Here is the upper wing of an adult showing the white tips to the greater coverts and the white base to the secondaries combining to make a broad white bar.

http://digitalcollections.pugetsound.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slaterwing/id/12090

Here are he secondaries alone (a juvenile, but same pattern), outer feathers to left, inners (longer) to the right.:

http://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/feather.php?Bird=SAND_secondary_juv

And this photo shows how the white bar can be visible even on a spiffy spring bird:

http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/baa/wp-content/gallery/new-york/sanderling-breeding-plumage-_q8r6711-nickerson-beach-park-lido-beach-ny.jpg

Louis Bevier

Fairfield

On Aug 11, 2015, at 8:54 AM, Stella Walsh <stellawalsh@earthlink.net> wrote:

Looks good for Sanderling. But the white tipped primary coverts are odd - Doug H. suggests maybe leucistic?  

Stella

On Aug 11, 2015, at 08:19, Beverly Johnson <bjohnson@chebeague.net> wrote:

Trying to figure out what type of sandpiper this one is, it is larger than the Semipalmated. <IMG_9504.jpeg><IMG_9501.jpeg>

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