Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	White-rumped Sandpiper
Scientific name:	Calidris fuscicollis
Date:	May 25th, 2026
Time:	7:28 pm
Length of time observed:	20 minutes, with glances in the scope of about 30 seconds max
Number:	3
Age:	Unknown, likely adult
Sex:	Unkown
Location:	Heading east on the trail along the north shore of Utah Lake past the first stream crossing and I think soon after the first sandbar.
County:	Utah
Latilong:	40�'29.5"N 111�'51.1"W give or take 75 meters
Elevation:	approximately 1371.0 m
Distance to bird:	somewhere between 50-75m
Optical equipment:	McKay's scope, not sure of the specs, I would reach out to him and ask if he knows. I was also looking through a pair of Vortex Diamondbacks 8x42
Weather:	Cloudy, 77-79 degrees Farenheit
Light Conditions:	Diffused, still a decent amount of light outside.
Description: Size of bird:	Sandpiper size? larger than WESA next to it but much much smaller than a willet or an avocet
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Sandpiper-shaped
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Brown streaking, whiter underneath,
(Description:) Bill Type:	probing
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Sandpiper-shaped birds right next to a Western sandpiper. Larger than the WESA and less orangeish on the back. Long primary projection--wings extended clearly very far past the tail. Whitish eyebrow/streak through the eye, white breast streaked with brown. Black/dark brown spots on back right above the wings. Black legs, dark bill. Kind of long-looking overall. White underneath. Dark primaries. There is also a white patch right near the base of the bill but this seems to be common in a lot of similar sandpiper species. I believe this bird is in breeding plumage. I think I saw a hint of streaking on the sides when looking through the scope but I'm only about 75% sure because I was also on my tiptoes and it was a little shaky. Looking at the photo there might be a glare/blur on the bird's body right where streaking would be more visible. I didn't personally observe the orange bill even though the person with me did very clearly so I am saying that it lacked it in my perspective. I was hoping to have it show up in my photos later (big mistake!! my phone screen is so cracked and bad that when I looked at all of them later on a computer they weren't good.) Looking at my photos on my last glance: I believe the side streaking is most possible right next to the wings but again I'm not 100%. I will send a copy of one of the photos with an arrow pointing to where I think it is possible. The glare/blur gets pretty bad right next to it so it's possible that there could be some streaking not visible to my camera but obviously we can't go with that. (see eBird photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	None recorded.
Behavior:	Darting around in the mud probing and feeding.
Habitat:	Along lakeshore in sandbar, surrounding area consisted mostly of short grasses <0.25m. Some rush clusters or something nearby along the shore ~1m in height. The immediate habitat near the sandpiper was probably about 50% water, 48% bare ground, 1% litter, and 1% vegetation. It was mostly in the very shallow water and mudflats out past the shore on a sandbar.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	I relied a lot on McKay to help me ID this one due to my lack of experience, however I will note what I observed with my own eyes. It being right next to a western sandpiper helped determine its size and provide a reference. It was larger and less orangeish. It was most similar to the Baird's due to the primary wings jutting out so far past the tail which eliminated a lot of other similar sandpiper species, in addition to some reasons below. This was probably the closest species and McKay observed the streaking better than me I think, I think I saw some streaking on the sides but am not entirely sure. I did not observe the orange at the base and bottom of the bill like McKay did but I didn't get a great look at the bills through the scope. I honestly did not observe the bird as long as I should have and I regret that. I am most confident out of everything that it is between a Baird's and a white-rumped. The above account was from memory of what McKay was saying to me in the field and what I was seeing through his scope listening to him talk and point stuff out. I have also looked at my photos and do not see the streaking for sure or the orange but I think I possibly saw the streaking in the field. This (Baird's sandpiper) was the bird McKay most closely compared it to in the field. My field notes were as following (the parts that were written there were the notes about the wings and the streaking and the orange bill I think. I may have edited them later): "Shout-out to McKay for spotting these. Waved me over to his scope to take a look. Possibly streaking on sides, definitely long wings that stuck out past tail. Either that or a Baird's. Not sure if I can see orange on the bill or not in my photos. They were hanging out with a western sandpiper." The two most sure things I remember about the field notes were the primary projection (I didn't know what that meant at first when McKay was showing me and letting me see through the scope) and looking through the scope and not being 100% sure on seeing the streaking but maybe seeing it and then not really seeing the orange on the bill because it was so shaky and I only took a little glance after he said that I think and hoping I'd see it in the photos. Looking at photos of other birds on Ebird now: The dark bill and legs can easily rule out pectoral sandpiper, least sandpiper (due to legs), rock sandpiper, purple sandpiper, buff-breasted sandpiper, broad-billed sandpiper, surfbird, great knot, ruddy turnstone, black turnstone, nonbreeding plumage of red knot, Temminck's stint, long-toed stint, and the like. Streaking on breast rules out sanderling as well as not being that warm of a brown, as well as again the long primary wings. Dunlin has too long and droopy of a bill in comparison to the proportions of this sandpiper. Bill proportions rule out red-necked stint as well as it not being red enough. Spoon-billed sandpiper can be ruled out due to its unique bill shape.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	None, this is my first time seeing one. I am a beginner with sandpipers and in all honesty relied a lot on McKay's expertise to help identify this species.
References consulted:	At time of observation: Sibley bird guide app on McKay's phone as well as Merlin Bird ID app on mine. Later: eBird's bird database.
Description from:	Notes made later From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Atlas Goodrich [with credit to McKay Olson - see "Additional Comments" below]
Observer's address:	Saratoga Springs, UT 84045
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	McKay Olson One or two others observed them later after he called them, I would check the Ebird.
Date prepared:	June 8th, 2026
Additional material:	Photos (from eBird checklist by McKay Olson, Esther Sumner & Ian Peay) eBird Checklist
Additional comments:	I don't really want any credit because it was mainly McKay who did all the heavy lifting of identifying it, I just figure this is good for the record for bird science. He also has better photos. Mine are lower quality but I was right there with him looking at the same birds through the same scope. I mostly want to corroborate what he saw. Some of my notes are notes from memory--not my memory of the actual visual of the bird, but from what I remember hearing McKay say as I was looking through the scope or near him. The two things I noted in the field were the primary projection (long wings) and the possible streaking on sides. I don't really want my name or address on here even if it succeeds. nnina: