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Rock Sandpipers	Often overlooked
	Check beaks, leg color & size

 Calidris ptilocnemis

Video of rock sandpipers bathing; then Turnstones take over pool. Note ‘backs’ w characteristic colors

TPL_bird_rocksand2.WMV

Foraging Video as surf rolls in --- note the black in tails etc (only 415K

TPL_bird_rocksand1.WMV

	Preening
	Here is a short WMF of this preening sequence (195K) Looks like late spring; characteristic beak and ‘atypical’ breast show ‘well’. Leg color not evident (to distinguish from a Western Sandpiper) There are several subspecies recognized and this bird meets none of obvious choices --

	Mixed in with Turnstones
	This is late November video sequence; the birds are hunkered down from the SE winds and the tides are too high to feed. The rock sandpipers (yellow arrows) are ‘easily’ separated by smaller size etc (plus they are grouped together in lower left while larger, darker Turnstones are in upper right this image)

Look at the patterns on back to easily separate from Turnstones MOV01485.MPG '03_11_28_01

Leg injuries seem endemic – Sandpiper upper right has only one Note distinctive feather pattern in Turnstone on right in contrast to others who are sandpipers

Created by LG Wednesday, March 03, 2004