Dunlin
Calidris alpina
Dunlins breed in the far north around the globe, but spend winter months along the coasts of most of North America, North Africa and Southern Asia.
There is some disagreement about the status of Dunlin subspecies. Some scientists believe there are only five, while others believe there are more. The long list includes:
- C. a. arctica breeds in northeast Greenland and winters in western Europe.
- C. a. schinzii breeds in southeast Greenland, Iceland, the British Isles, Scandinavia & the Baltic and winters in western Europe and northwestern Africa.
- C. a. alpina breeds in northern Europe and northwest Siberia and winters on the eastern Mediterranean, Iran, and the Persian Gulf to west India.
- C. a. centralis breeds in north-central and northeast Siberia.
- C. a. sakhalina breeds in eastern Russia to the Chukchi Peninsula and winters from Korea to southeast Asia.
- C. a. kistchinski breeds around the Sea of Okhotsk to Kuril Islands and Kamchatka.
- C. a. actites breeds in Russia on Sakhalin Island.
- C. a. arcticola breeds from northwest Alaska to northwest Canada.
- C. a. pacifica breeds in western and southern Alaska and winters along the west coast of North America south through Mexico.
- C. a. hudsonia breeds in central Canada and winters in southeastern USA on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
Most of my encounters with Dunlins have been in southern California, but on my last day at South Padre in 2021, I met birds in their bright breeding (alternate) plumage. Presumably, the birds I met in southern California were members of the C. a. pacifica group, and those I met in Texas were C. a. hudsonia.
23 Photos
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: Imperial Beach, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:31 14:07 |
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Location:
Imperial Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X0909-Dunlin |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: (Calidris alpina) Mission Beach Jetty. San Diego, California USA 2013-03-24. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:24 10:57 |
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Location:
Mission Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X2532-Dunlin |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: With Western Sandpipers at the Mission Beach Jetty. San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:24 10:57 |
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Location:
Mission Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X2536-Dunlin |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: Mission Beach Jetty. San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:24 10:57 |
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Location:
Mission Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X2538-Dunlin |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: Spring migration at the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:04 10:49 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X3678-Dunlin |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: Spring migration at the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:04 10:49 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X3679-Dunlin |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: (Calidris alpina) Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo, California USA 2011-11-01. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:01 15:12 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/8.0, 1/1 |
File Name: D3X4595-Dunlin |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: (Calidris alpina) Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo, California USA 2011-11-01. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:01 15:13 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/8.0, 1/1 |
File Name: D3X4598-Dunlin |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: Adult in alternate (breeding) plumage stopping over in migration to the breeding grounds. Seen at the Salton Sea at Poe Road. Imperial County near Westmoreland, California USA 2015-04-27. |
Date Taken: 2015:04:27 16:02 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/10.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X7544-Dunlin |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: Foraging at the San Diego River Channel near Robb Field. Ocean Beach, San Diego, California USA 2008-09-22. |
Date Taken: 2008:09:22 10:28 |
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Location:
Robb Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: jcd1528Dunlin |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: Foraging migrant at the San Diego River Channel near Robb Field. Ocean Beach, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:09:22 10:28 |
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Location:
Robb Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: jcd1533Dunlin |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: San Diego River flood control channel. San Diego, California 2010-01-08. |
Date Taken: 2010:01:08 14:27 |
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Location:
Robb Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD5542.Dunlin |
| © 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: This bird was found on the southwestern shore of the Salton Sea at Poe Road, Imperial County California 2010-10-10. |
Date Taken: 2010:12:10 9:24 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD5944_Dunlin |
| © 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: I don’t often see Dunlins in alternate (breeding) plumage. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:04 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6000 |
File Name: Dunlin_D5X7298_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
|
Description: I don’t often see Dunlins in alternate (breeding) plumage. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:05 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6000 |
File Name: Dunlin_D5X7321_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
|
Description: I don’t often see Dunlins in alternate (breeding) plumage. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:07 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6000 |
File Name: Dunlin_D5X7359_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
|
Description: I don’t often see Dunlins in alternate (breeding) plumage. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:07 |
|
Location:
Convention Center |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6000 |
File Name: Dunlin_D5X7360_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
|
Description: I don’t often see Dunlins in alternate (breeding) plumage. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:08 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6000 |
File Name: Dunlin_D5X7376_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
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Description: During high tide, shorebirds such as these Dunlin congregated in sheltered areas of the bay. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 13:19 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: Dunlin_8504118-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
|
Description: During high tide, shorebirds such as these Dunlin congregated in sheltered areas of the bay. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 13:16 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: Dunlin_8504091-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
|
Description: During high tide, shorebirds such as these Dunlin congregated in sheltered areas of the bay. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 13:14 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: Dunlin_8504027-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
|
Description: During high tide, shorebirds such as these Dunlin congregated in sheltered areas of the bay. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 13:12 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: Dunlin_8503958-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dunlin(Calidris alpina) |
|
Description: During high tide, shorebirds such as these Dunlin congregated in sheltered areas of the bay. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 12:23 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: Dunlin_8503844-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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