Posted by Bill Boeringer on August 25, 2003 at 08:56:15:
Some early morning shorebirding in South Dade produced the following:
Lucky Hammock area:
40+ Pectoral Sandpipers
4 Lesser Yellowlegs
1 Greater Yellowlegs
1 Solitary Sandpiper
NO Upland Sandpiper
Also 3 Bald Eagles, Bank, Rough-winged & Barn Swallows and Purple Martins
Racetrack area:
75+ Pectoral Sandpipers
8 Short-billed Dowitchers
2 Lesser Yellowlegs
many Black-necked Stilts
1 Willet (!)
The Willet was in a very washed out basic plumage, appeared larger than most Willets I've seen, and towered over the dowitchers in direct comparison, and was definitely in an odd environment. Sibley and others differentiate between Eastern and Western (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus inornatus)subspecies. Western is an inland breeder, and reportedly averaging 15%larger than Eastern,longer-billed, longer-legged and paler and grayer than eastern birds. All of the above seemed to fit this bird. Some comments describe the western subspecies as a "regular" coastal migrant.