Peep show

Peeps can be a tough group of shorebirds to identify. They are tiny, they are often seen at a distance, and they can have a myriad of plumages depending on the time of year. Juvenal plumage. Alternate plumage. Basic plumage. Intermediates between all of the above.

But when seen up close, such as by kayak, they can be very approachable! Here are a few from a photoshoot of a juvenile Least Sandpiper last weekend in the Point Pelee marsh.

Least Sandpiper - Point Pelee National Park

Jeremy Bensette and I had let the wind push our kayaks up to the mudflat that the little guy was hunkered down on. It didn't seem at all worried with our presence and picked away at the mud, occasionally giving us a wary glance.

Least Sandpiper - Point Pelee National Park

Least Sandpiper - Point Pelee National Park

Least Sandpiper - Point Pelee National Park

Every now and then it peered up an some unseen (by us) danger in the sky.

Least Sandpiper - Point Pelee National Park

This is a very bright juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper. Young Semipalmated Sandpipers can have a surprising amount of rufous in the scapulars, similar to a Western Sandpiper. The structure of the bird, pattern of the coverts, and bill length and shape all point to a Semipalmated, however.

Ontario has 5 regular species that are referred to as peeps: the common Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, the rare but somewhat regular Western Sandpiper, and the two larger peeps: White-rumped and Baird's. Compared to the smaller three species, these two have a very long primary projection, giving them a longer, more attenuated profile. The photo below is of a group of White-rumped Sandpipers.

White-rumped and Baird's Sandpipers have the longer tapered appearance to the back end because they have really long wings. Here is a photo of some in flight, along with some Semipalmated Sandpipers and the larger Pectoral Sandpipers. Look at the 3 birds at the bottom-middle of the frame. The lower two are peeps with a longer-winged White-rumped just above them in the frame.

I have yet to obtain good photos of a Baird's Sandpiper, so the below photo will have to do (from James Bay last summer). We see predominately juveniles in Ontario during fall migration, and only occasionally is a Baird's seen somewhere in the province in the spring. 

This Baird's below has the long, attenuated profile, because of the long wings, a "buffier" upper breast/throat/head, a plainer face, and a scaly looking back caused by the silver and black patterning of the scapulars (back feathers). 

Baird`s Sandpiper - Longridge Point, James Bay

Update: Here are some better photos of a juvenile Baird`s; a very late bird that lingered until November at Netitishi Point in 2012.

Baird`s Sandpiper - Netitishi Point, James Bay

Baird`s Sandpiper - Netitishi Point, James Bay

Baird`s Sandpiper - Netitishi Point, James Bay

The next species isn't a peep - rather it is a plover. But Semipalmated Plovers are so darn cute that I had to throw in a few photos of them from last weekend!