Monday, August 18, 2008

Cape Dorset Photo 1

-UPDATE-
Thanks to Kiggavik (we miss your blogging) and Mongoose for identifing the bird in the photo as a sandpiper. Kiggavik specifically named it as a purple sandpiper caldris maritima. One of the great things about blogging is there is always someone watching that knows what they are talking about. Thank you very much.

I am away until this Friday so I have scheduled a post of Cape Dorset each day this week. I will try to post during my week of travel but I doubt I will have the opportunity. You will just have to wait until this weekend. Until then enjoy the daily photo.

I surprised this bird so bad that it froze in place giving me some time to get a nice photo. I believe it is a female snow bunting. Correct me if I'm wrong. I was only two meters away from her when I came around the corner.


4 comments:

Mongoose said...

I think it's a sandpiper. Snow buntings have short bills and short legs.

Anonymous said...

Definitely one of the Caldrids (sandpipers). Hard to tell which one from the picture (size etc are important). The colour of the legs suggests Least Sandpiper to me, but the range maps I have don't show them in your area.

Anonymous said...

Looking at the picture at higher resolution I'm now inclined to say Purple Sandpiper Caldris maritima (light coloured base of bill amongst other marks),I believe a first year bird; and they are shown on range maps for your area.

Matthew & Michele said...

Thanks All.

I knew there would be a bird expert out there. I will change the name on the blog.