warblerizeded at Iona .

[trudi]

we went out to Iona yesterday spent most of the time at the sewage plant (smells better than my yard sometimes!!)

I dont think i have ever seen so many warblers...and of course you have to look at everyone just in case it is different!! kinda felt like my eyes were attached to the binocs!! It paid off we did see 2 Wilson's, also
4 common yellow-throats
swallows everywhere, one cave swallow on the fence
1 marsh wren
c geese with their young ahhhhhhh
pied billed grebe
ring billed ducks
to name a few, then there was only one shore bird and he was acting a little strange he was doing the little run then and then the bob thing (like the spotted sandpiper) very slender body ...we do believe it is a long toed stint.

[Gord]

Trudi, sounds like a great outing! Awesome photos as always as well.

As for the little sandpiper, I might say it's a Least Sandpiper, mind you, quite a brightly coloured specimen. A sight Id expect to see in the fall migration when the juveniles are passing through and when they are quite bright. The shape does look maybe sort of slightly off, but then a photo can catch an active bird in different poses. Dave Beeke has experience with Asian sandpipers so he and maybe others could weigh in on it. Im not certain that a Long-toed Stint has ever been seen here in BC but the species is highly migratory and it is possible one lost its way. It has happened before with other similar species and will happen again. Nice work documenting it's behaviour too. Those observations are always useful!

[martin]

Trudi, Great report and nice photo's. Good shots on the sandpiper, I wish I could help on the ID , but I would only be guessing.

[Dave]

Hi trudi and all,

The bird is a Least Sandpiper, not a Long-toed Stint. I can see why you thought Long-toed with those long toes. Good thinking! Keep the pictures coming!

Thanks for sharing,
Dave Beeke