Tag Archives: Buff-breasted Sandpiper

A couple of stops on the Milwaukee lakefront provided great looks at some migrating shorebirds. Lakeshore State Park had 3 Buff-breasted Sandpipers and 3 Black-bellied Plovers. Pebble Beach near McKinley Beach had 5 Semipalmated Plovers, 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers and 2 Sanderlings. The shorebirds at Lakeshore State Park moved around from the beach to the inland short grass area a couple of times near the beach while I was there. Nice to see these birds stopping along the lake on a beautiful morning with some sun and cool temps around 50 degrees. Images were taken on September 8, 2024.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper…

Buff-breasted Sandpiper…

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, something in the bill…

Black-bellied Plover…

Black-bellied Plover, preening…

Black-bellied Plover, shaking off…

Black-bellied Plover, finding things to eat…

Buff-breasted Sandpiper bathing…

Buff-breasted Sandpiper …

Buff-breasted Sandpiper after bathing…

Semipalmated Sandpiper…

Semipalmated Sandpiper finding things to eat…

Semipalmated Sandpiper, just looking pretty…

Semipalmated Plover…

Sanderling…

Sanderling…

Sanderling…

I had seen a couple reports of a Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Lakeshore State Park so this morning I thought I would try my luck. It was there along the end of a mowed field with a Lesser Yellowlegs. After watching this bird for awhile sitting up on a clump of grass, it decided to hunt a little in the grass for insects to eat. I saw on one image it had a moth in its bill. Later it flew to the beach area and hung out for a while. When I left the area other birders had arrived and were enjoying nice views. It was a warm morning with early temps at 84 degrees, full sun, a little breeze. Images were taken on August 26, 2020.

Buff-breasted standing on top of a clump of grass…

Off to do a little hunting for insects…

A moth in the bill…

Always changing directions as it walks, looking and listening for something to eat…

Getting something here…

Near the beach area on a rock…

Those beautiful feathers…

The closeup

Preening…

A resting Lesser Yellowlegs a couple of feet from the Buff-breasted, they are friends it appeared…

I made the run to the South Metro Pier in Oak Creek Wisconsin very early this morning with hopes the juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper that was reported was still present. It was and it was about 1/4 north of the pier on the shoreline. It was actively feeding most of the time I was present. A real treat to see one close up as the previously Buff-breasted Sandpipers I have viewed were out in fields in and out of grasses, at sod farms and more distant.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Juv.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Binomial name: Tryngites subruficollis

Category: Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

Size: 8.25” long, 18” wing span

Weight: 2.2 Oz.

Habitat: Breeding habitat is on the Arctic tundra in moist areas near water, bogs, and marshes that are open. During their very long migration they are typically found in short grass such as golf courses, pastures, sod farms, airfields, plowed and unplowed agricultural fields, not usually near water. They also can be found on pond or lake edges on sandy beaches. These birds winter at South American pampas, prairies, seasonal flooded areas.

Diet: They stand motionless scanning the ground, then dashing to insects, earthworms, larvae, flies, spiders, midges, beetles and other vertebrates they find. Their diet also sometimes includes seeds from plants.

Nesting: Nest is a shallow depression, a scrape on the ground from the female. The female lines it with moss, lichen, leaves and sedges. Usually 2-4 eggs are laid and incubated by the female for 23-25 days. The female provides the only parental care. Within one day of hatching the young leave the nest, they feed themselves, but the female tends to them.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv. feeding.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv. feeding.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv. with a bug in its mouth.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv. resting.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv. resting.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv. back view.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Juv.