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I believe I saw a Pectoral Sandpiper at Antelope
Island Causeway today in Davis County. The bird was 150-200 feet south of
the 'No Swimming' bridge between mm 4 and 5. The sandpiper kept to the
south side of a low sloping mound of rocky shoreline and east of the
algae-choked canal. Sometimes the rocks partially obscured the bird.
I was able to watch with a scope for 45 minutes or so and got pretty decent
looks.
The sandpiper had a medium-length dark bill with a
fine, thin tip that drooped ever so slightly at the end. The head plumage
showed a faint white eyestripe that began and the upper base of the bill and
continued over and past the eye. The stripe helped define the streaky
crown. A darkish stripe ran through the lores and eye and to the
auriculars. The chin was distinctly white. The bird sported
a streaky brownish "bib" that abruptly ended at mid-chest and then the
color was cleanly white down through the belly and undertail coverts.
I did see a small amount of some very faint and fine streaking along the
flanks. The bird's upper parts were overall brownish, not gray. When
the sandpiper roused its feathers, the upperwing coverts and flight feathers
looked finely edged in a lighter color. I was unable to verify leg
color. The size appeared to be midway between a peep and a Killdeer.
This sandpiper was not particularly active.
Its foraging style was deliberate and slow; when it moved the bird only took a
step or two. Later it found itself within a small cloud of whirling flies
and the bird ran a few steps a couple times. That was the most active
behavior I saw until a Northern Harrier came coursing along the shoreline and
the sandpiper flushed. The sandpiper made several single-note churring
croaks as it gained altitude quickly, flying west. After it was out of
earshot, I played the Pectoral Sandpiper call on Stokes Western CD and the sound
was similar to the second recorded Pectoral sound that is accompanied by
wingbeats.
I'd be interested in reports of this bird if anyone
else birds the causeway soon.
Other than the mysterious sandpiper, few birds
other birds were present. I saw kestrels, ravens, Killdeer,
Ring-billed and California Gulls, a small flock of Horned Larks, and a handful
of Eared Grebes and Ruddy Ducks.
Kris
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