[mou] Probable Western Sandpiper, Brown County

[Brian Smith]

Around 11:30 a.m. today I found a Sandpiper at the Sleepy Eye sewage ponds that looked very different to me.  Through the process of elimination I ID'd it as a juvenile Western Sandpiper.  It was with a great deal of anxiety that I called Bob Dunlap to let him know of my find as I know this species is rarely found in Minnesota.  Bob was birding with John and Chris Hockema, Dedrick Benz and Dave Bartkey in Le Sueur county and they came over to Sleepy Eye to see the bird and they all agree that the bird is a Western Sandpiper.  Key field marks are: rufous colored scapulars and mantle, a long, slightly decurved bill which is colored black (legs are black, too).  The face and crown is pale colored. The wing feathers do not project beyond the tail.  All I can say after staring at it for hours is that it looks identical to the illustration of a juvenile Western SA shown in Sibley.  I left the ponds around 4:45 p.m. and it was still present.  Bob, John, Chris, Dedrick and Dave are still out there and I understand that other birders are headed this way to look at it as well.  With the strong southerly winds I'd guess that there's a good chance that it might stick around until tomorrow.  I've sent a picture of the bird to Dave Cahlander and hopefully he'll be able to post it to "Recently Seen" for others to see.

Good birding,

Brian Smith
Sleepy Eye
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