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Posted by Brennan Mulrooney on 10:50:37 11/22/05
In Reply to: Wintering Semipalmated Sandpipers posted by John Boyd
Just about every time I go looking at shorebird flocks in Florida Bay in winter I see birds that I'm quite sure are Semipalmated Sandpipers. They certainly are far outnumbered by the Westerns, but I have no doubt that a small portion of the wintering peeps in Florida Bay are Semi's. I believe I share this view with John Ogden, who took that specimen that John (Boyd) mentioned in order to prove that he was actually seeing these guys out here in the winter. And the use of the term "guys" is probably most appropriate, because the female Semi's probably aren't satisfactorally identifiable in the winter in these flocks. The birds with the shortest bills (males) aren't that hard to pick out with a decent view, and of course it helps if you hear the call. Almost invariably when I find a very short billed bird I also notice that its feeding behavior is different, much more plover like.
Having said all that, I think that outside of the Florida Bay ecosystem, or perhaps extreme south florida, that it's best to consider all of the wintering Western/Semi's to be Westerns. But by all means, if you see one with a very short bill, acting more like a plover, and especially if you hear it call, try to get documentation. I've been able to photo a couple of mine from the bay, but digiscoping from a boat ain't easy! I submitted some photos and the record is published in North American Birds 57:193.
For the boatless masses out there, I would guess that Snake Bight trail (I've seen them Snake Bight from a boat) on an incoming tide would be your best bet. The shorebird flocks at Flamingo seem to always be just a bit too far away to discern this level of detail.
Brennan Mulrooney
Key Largo
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