[mou] sandpiper photos and behavior question

[Chris Mansfield]

September 12th Ben and I braved the winds and spatter on Park Point,
and were rewarded with mixed flocks of Sanderlings and Buff-breasted
Sandpipers.  I counted 37 Sanderlings and four Buff-breasteds, but
there were probably more of both species: birds were constantly coming
and going between the dune grass/beach pea and the wrack line.  Only a
few birds remained long outside of cover.  I couldn't blame them. 
Thousands of ladybugs were crawling in the wrack, too; little orange
bodies dot all the images.

http://198.174.119.50/tmp/20040912/index.html

Top photo of the set is a Semipalmated Sandpiper (as far as I know)
from August 14th on Park Point.  That big bill caught my eye, as did
the bird's fairly bright coloration, but what caught my attention even
more than its looks was the fact that it defended its feeding territory
against the other Semipalmated Sandpipers.  It held a stretch of
shoreline about 20 feet from end to end, and would call and fluff its
feathers and then fly at any intruder (all of which were juv.
Semipalmated Sandpipers).  This was the only time I've seen a migrating
juv. Semi chase its own kind off, as far as I can remember.  But then I
don't see many shorebirds any more.  How common is this behavior among
Semis?   

Chris

=====
Chris Mansfield
Richfield, Hennepin Co. MN
bikebirder75@yahoo.com


		
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