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Early this morning among thousands of waders (most of them Semi Plovers) piling up ahead of the rising tide at Crescent Beach I found only a few peep, including only tens of Semi Sandpipers and a single Least! But among the Semi Sandpipers was one that was slightly larger; had a slightly longer body profile; had a very long bill, stout at the base and finer at the dip, that drooped conspicuously; and that fed in a distinctive head-down, tail up manner that was different from the flatter-bodied feeding attitude of the Semis. In nearly all respects it seemed to be a Western Sandpiper (no, it wasn't a mis-ID'd White- rump, a classic error), but I was puzzled by its uniform brownish colour, somewhat scalloped, but apparently lacking the contrast between reddish scapulars and the brownish mantle and covert feathers. In the past I have found very fresh immature Westerns to have a pale and uncontrasty head, palish brown body, and very striking reddish scapulars. These birds really stand out. But a bit of reading reveals that immature Westerns begin their body molt very early and can loose some of those classic features, including the scapular colour, within the first few weeks, bringing them closer in colour and pattern but not in structure to immature Semis. This immature Western Sandpiper was very instructive to study both in the field and at my desk. Eric L. Mills 286 Kingsburg Road, RR#1, Rose Bay, NS B0J 2X) Canada e.mills@dal.ca
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