Wintering Semipalmated Sandpipers

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Posted by John Boyd on 06:32:07 11/22/05

In Reply to: Re: Black Point Jetty, 11/21 - Horned Grebes posted by Rock Jetty

There is one specimen of a winter Semipalmated Sandpiper in the US, from near Cape Sable on Jan. 11, 1974 (Lake Ingraham, I believe).

Semipalmated Sandpiper used to be considered a common wintering bird on the entire Gulf coast (of the US) and much of the US Atlantic Coast. Thousands of birders and ornithologists saw these birds every year. Many specimens existed.

In fact, literally millions of male Western Sandpipers were being misidentified as Semipalmated Sandpipers. When the dust cleared, only the one specimen was still considered Semipalmated. See Allan Phillips 1975 article in American Birds.

There are some photos of other birds thought to be Semipalmated. There are also some sight reports. However, given the fact that the differences between the species in winter plumage are so tiny relative to variation, it is hard to argue that even well-documented sight reports rise above the level of "possible".

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Wintering Semipalmated Sandpipers? YES - Brennan Mulrooney 10:50:37 11/22/05 (0)

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Comments:	: There is one specimen of a winter Semipalmated Sandpiper in the US, from near Cape Sable on Jan. 11, 1974 (Lake Ingraham, I believe). : : Semipalmated Sandpiper used to be considered a common wintering bird on the entire Gulf coast (of the US) and much of the US Atlantic Coast. Thousands of birders and ornithologists saw these birds every year. Many specimens existed. : : In fact, literally millions of male Western Sandpipers were being misidentified as Semipalmated Sandpipers. When the dust cleared, only the one specimen was still considered Semipalmated. See Allan Phillips 1975 article in American Birds. : : There are some photos of other birds thought to be Semipalmated. There are also some sight reports. However, given the fact that the differences between the species in winter plumage are so tiny relative to variation, it is hard to argue that even well-documented sight reports rise above the level of "possible".
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