[Birdnet] AIC Sharp-tailed Sandpiper still there

[Mark Stackhouse]

A few persistent birders (the Beyers, the Sommerfelds, David Wheeler 
and myself) got good looks of the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at the 
Antelope Island Causeway this afternoon. The bird was seen briefly on 
the south side of the first bridge at about 1 pm, then it flew off, and 
was well seen at about 3:30 in the same location, before flying off to 
the south. The bird seems to be moving between the large puddle south 
of the bridge and the lake shore about 1/4 mile due south of that 
point, where a large mass of birds could be seen. It returned to the 
causeway site at least twice, so being patient at that spot may be the 
best strategy. The Beyers said they saw the same bird earlier in the 
day (exact time?) east of the bridge at about mm 6 on the south side, 
so it might be worth checking there as well. There was a Pectoral 
Sandpiper there this afternoon.

In the relatively poor light of the afternoon the bird was not 
initially very obvious, but on the second viewing moved to a better 
light angle, and all the definitive field marks could be easily seen. 
The bird is about the same size and shape as a Pectoral Sandpiper, but 
has a buffy/rusty wash on the breast instead of heavy streaks, is 
generally warmer brown/slightly rusty on the back, has a prominent 
white eyebrow, and a dark cap that looks very rusty in good light. The 
wingtips and tail are long and attenuated, giving the bird a long and 
tapered look, somewhat like a Baird's, but the legs are obviously pale, 
as in Pectoral, and not black as in Baird's. The head pattern (white 
eyebrow and dark cap) is stronger than in either Baird's or Pectoral.

I finally got a new bird in Utah this year (#384) - thanks for the 
great find Tim!

Some other birds seen along the causeway included:

various ducks/Canada Goose
Eared Grebe
White-faced? Ibis (1)
Black-bellied Plover
American Golden-Plover (about 6-10)
Killdeer
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Willet
Marbled Godwit
Semipalmated Sandpiper (3)
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
American Pipit

Mark Stackhouse
mark at westwings.com
801-487-9453 (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA)
011-52-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico)