Coastal Carolina

HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 10 inches * Medium-sized shorebird * Long, straight bill * Dull, yellowish legs * White rump extends in wedge onto back * Tail barred black and white * Sexes similar Adult alternate: * Reddish underparts with black spots on throat and breast and barred belly and flanks * Dark crown and eyeline with reddish supercilium * Black bases to back feathers with reddish edges Adult basic: * Pale gray head with white supercilium * Pale gray breast with faint spotting * Gray upperparts * White belly and undertail coverts Juvenile: * Mantle feathers dark with thin brown edges * Head and breast with brown wash and scattered spots Similar species: The most distinctive feature of dowitchers is their long bill. Godwits also have extremely long bills but their bills are bicolored and they are larger. In flight, dowitchers can be picked out of mixed shorebird flocks by the white "v" extending up the back. The Long-billed Dowitcher is very similar to the Short-billed Dowitcher. In alternate plumage, the Long-billed Dowitcher has barred flanks and a reddish belly; some races of the Short-billed Dowitcher have barred flanks and some have reddish bellies but not on the same bird. Juvenile Short-billed Dowithchers have a more orange plumage than juvenile Long-billed Dowithcers. The best field mark for separating the juvenile plumages is the appearance of the tertials. In the Short-billed they have internal orange stripes while in the Long-billed they have a thin brown fringe with no internal markings. Winter plumage dowitchers are very similar.

Full_View

Limosa fedoa HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 16 inches * Very large, long-legged, long-necked shorebird * Very long, slightly recurved bill * Pink-based black-tipped bill * Cinnamon wing linings * Sexes similar * Juvenile similar to adult Adult alternate * Pale buff head, neck, breast and belly * Pale face with dark loral stripe * Dark brown barring on breast and flanks * Dark back feathers notched with buff creating a mottled effect * Upperwings brown, with inner wing contrasting with darker outer wing in flight Adult basic: * Similar to alternate-plumaged adult, but underparts without or with less barring Similar species: Long-billed Curlew is similar in plumage, but has a thinner, longer, decurved bill. The Hudsonian Godwit (and the accidental Black-tailed Godwit) has a white wing stripe and a white tail with a black terminal band. The accidental Bar-tailed Godwit is smaller, with unbarred underparts, whtie wing linings, and a shorter bill that is not so extensively pink-based. Hudsonian, Black-tailed, and Bar-tailed Godwits are grayer in basic plumage and rustier in alternate plumage.

Full_View

Calidris melanotos HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 7.5 inches * Medium-sized shorebird * Medium-sized, thin, dark bill * Yellow legs * Black patch on rump extending onto tail * Thin, white wing stripe * Sexes similar Adult alternate: * Brown head with dark streaks * Pale supercilium * Black back feathers and wing coverts with brown edges * Brown breast with fine streaks ending abruptly and contrasting with white underparts Adult basic: * Similar to adult alternate * Upperparts a duller brown Juvenile: * Similar to adult alternate * Back feathers and wing coverts with pale brown, rust, or golden edges * White 'V's on back * Dark rusty crown Similar species: With its abrupt demarcation between the brown breast and the white underparts and yellow legs, the Pectoral Sandpiper is quite distinctive. It is larger than the peeps but shorter-billed and shorter-legged than dowitchers, yellowlegs, and Stilt Sandpipers. The rare Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is quite similar, but has more markings on the flanks. Juveniles have a redder crown and a more obvious supercilium.

Full_View

Calidris canutus HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 9 inches * Fairly small shorebird * Medium-length, thin, dark bill * Dark legs * Gray wing stripe * Gray rump and tail * Sexes similar * Juvenile is similar to basic-plumaged adults Adult alternate: * Reddish face, throat and breast * Gray crown, nape and back * Wing coverts gray and black with reddish spots * White belly with black spots Adult basic: * Solid gray upperparts and breast * White belly with irregular gray markings along flanks * White supercilium and dark eyeline * Juvenile has fine black and white edges to back and wing coverts creating a scaly look Similar species: In alternate plumage, the reddish face and breast can also be found in the Curlew Sandpiper and Sanderling. The Curlew Sandpiper has a decurved bill and a white rump while the smaller Sanderling has black spotting on the breast and a bold white wing stripe. In basic and juvenile plumage, it is considerably larger than "peeps" (Least, Semipalmated, Western, et al). Stilt and Curlew Sandpipers are similar in size but have decurved bills. Yellowlegs are larger with thinner bills and bright yellow legs. In flight, the featureless gray rump, back, tail and plain wings are different from other shorebirds that have white or black rumps and wing stripes.

Full_View

Phalaropus fulicaria HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 6.5 inches * Fairly small shorebird * Often swims, spinning about and picking at the water * Thick, straight bill * Dark-centered rump * Wide white stripe in wing Adult female alternate: * Red underparts and neck * White face and dark crown * Black back with buff feather edges * Yellow bill * Adult male alternate similar but considerably duller Adult basic: * Gray crown and upperparts * Black eye patch * White underparts * Dark bill Juvenile: * Similar to the basic-plumaged adult * More distinct face pattern with a prominent dark cap and dark eye stripe * Buffy wash to the neck and chest * White edges to feathers on back and upperwing coverts Similar species: Yellowlegs have longer, brighter yellow legs, spotted upperparts, streaks and bars about head and have a barred tail. Wilson's Phalarope lacks wing stripe, has a white rump and tail, as well as a longer bill. Basic-plumaged Stilt Sandpiper is similar, but Stilt Sandpiper has longer legs, dusky streaks on chest and flanks, and lacks the black patch around the eye. Red-necked Phalarope is similar in juvenile and basic plumages but has a thinner bill and a thinner white wing stripe.

Full_View

Phalaropus lobatus HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 6 inches * Fairly small, long-legged shorebird * Often swims, spinning about and picking at the water * Thin, straight, black bill * Black legs * Dark-centered rump * Thin white stripe in wing Adult female alternate: * Dark gray head, nape, breast, flanks and back * White throat with reddish lower border * Buff streaks on back * White underparts * Adult male alternate similar but considerably duller Adult basic: * Gray crown and upperparts * Black eye patch * White underparts Juvenile: * Similar to the basic-plumaged adult * More distinct face pattern with a prominent dark cap and dark eye stripe * Buffy wash to the neck and chest * Pale buffy edges to feathers on back and upperwing coverts Similar species: Yellowlegs have longer, brighter yellow legs, spotted upperparts, streaks and bars about head and have a barred tail. Wilson's Phalarope lacks wing stripe, has a white rump and tail, as well as a longer bill. Basic-plumaged Stilt Sandpiper is similar, but Stilt Sandpiper has longer legs, dusky streaks on chest and flanks, and lacks the black patch around the eye. Red Phalarope is similar in juvenile and basic plumages but has a thicker bill and a wider white wing stripe.

Full_View

Arenaria interpres HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 7 inches * Small, short-legged shorebird * Short, dark bill is fairly thick with a slight upturn to the lower mandible * Legs are yellow to red * Bold wing pattern visible in flight is produced by a white wing stripe, a white lower back and white at the base of the leading edge of the wing * White tail with black terminal band * Sexes similar * Juvenile is similar to basic-plumaged adults Adult alternate: * Striking black and white head pattern * Rufous and black back and wings * Black breast with enclosed white patch * White belly Adult basic: * Gray-brown head and upperparts * White throat * Black breast with enclosed white to gray patch * White belly * Juvenile has pale edges to back and wing coverts Similar species: Black Turnstone is similar but darker in basic plumage, has an all dark chest, duller legs, and lacks any trace of rust-red back feathers. Surfbird has yellowish legs and a more uniform body plumage; white wingstripe and white tail with dark terminal band produce a less striking pattern in flight than in turnstones.

Full_View

Calidris alba HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 6.5 inches * Small shorebird * Medium-length, thin, dark bill * Dark legs * Wide, white wing stripe * Black line on rump extends onto tail * Sexes similar Adult alternate: * Reddish head, back and breast with black spots * Gray wings * White belly Adult basic: * Pale gray head and upperparts * Faint, partial gray breast band * White underparts * Indistinct white supercilium and dark eyeline Juvenile: * Checkered upperparts * Black patch in front of folded wing * Faint, partial gray breast band * White underparts * Face pattern bolder than adult basic Similar species: In alternate plumage, Red Knot and rare Curlew Sandpiper also have a reddish face and breast but are obviously larger and have more extensive red breasts. In basic plumage, the Sanderling is very similar to smaller "peeps" but has a more obvious wing stripe.

Full_View

sanderling-and-ruddy-turnstones.jpg

Full_View