Spotted Sandpiper
Tringa macularia
The Spotted Sandpiper winters from Southern and Central California and east across the southern USA to Georgia in North America and south to northern Argentina in South America. Breeding territories are further north, and extend from the Pacific Northwest, through the southern Intermountain states, and east to the mid-Atlantic coast over most of the North American continent to Canada and Alaska.
There are a couple of readily identifiable traits in this species. One is their bouncing gate when walking on a foraging campaign. They are reminiscent of dippers and pipits when so engaged. Another trait is their uneven wingbeats and downward slanted wings when in flight, especially when gliding in for a landing.
Spotted Sandpipers share a practice with phalaropes science calls polyandry. Females take on multiple mates and leave the males to tend to nesting and child-rearing duties. If unable to find additional mates, the females may stick around to care for and raise the young of the last mating.
Despite the wide-ranging territories of these birds, today’s science regards the Spotted Sandpiper as monotypic (i.e. no subspecies).
I’ve met these charming creatures in many of the places I’ve travelled, yet I never tire of watching their shoreline dances. During the earliest days of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, I was locked down in my Brownsville (Texas) RV Park. Spotted Sandpipers foraging at the shoreline of the resaca in camp were one of several species that entertained me during those trying times.
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: (Tringa macularia) Breeding adult at Moon Lake, near Tok, Alaska and the Alaska Highway USA 2005-07-01. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:01 11:03 |
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Location:
Tanacross |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 |
File Name: JCD6975SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2005 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: Juvenile foraging along the Gila River, near Christmas, Arizona (Between Globe & Tucson) USA 2003-09-23. This was my first meeting with this species. |
Date Taken: 2003:09:23 11:22 |
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Location:
Gila River |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD_2586SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: Lindo Lake in Lakeside, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:14 12:31 |
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Location:
Lindo Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/9.5, 1/350 |
File Name: JCD_1227SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: Foraging at Lake Poway. San Diego County, California USA 2004-10-04. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:04 14:13 |
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Location:
Lake Poway |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD_0615SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, www.shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: (Tringa macularia) Young precocial chick foraging on the shore of Midway Lake, East of Tok, Alaska, on the AlCan Highway USA 2005-07-12. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:12 13:12 |
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Location:
Tetlin |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD8586SpottedSandpiperChick |
| © 2005 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: Cheena River, near the airport. Fairbanks, Alaska. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:03 16:08 |
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Location:
Creamer' Dairy |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD7348SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: (Tringa macularia) Breeding adult at Moon Lake, near Tok, Alaska and the Alaska Highway USA 2005-07-01. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:01 11:14 |
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Location:
Tanacross |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/9.5, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD7002SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2005 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: (Tringa macularia) Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo, California USA 2011-11-01. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:01 14:33 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/8.0, 1/2 |
File Name: D3X4519-SpottedSandPiper |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: (Tringa macularia) Juvenile near The Cove in La Jolla, California. La Jolla, California. San Diego County USA 2009-09-16. |
Date Taken: 2009:09:16 8:23 |
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Location:
La Jolla |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/750 |
File Name: JCD6418.SpottedSandPiper.Juvenile |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: (Tringa macularia) Juvenile near The Cove in La Jolla, California. San Diego County USA 2009-09-07. |
Date Taken: 2009:09:07 9:15 |
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Location:
La Jolla Cove |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD6248.SpottedSandPiper.Juvenile |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadetree-imaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: (Tringa macularia) Breeding adult (probably male) at Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada 2005-06-07. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:07 7:11 |
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Location:
Slave Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/10.0, 1/350 |
File Name: JCD3777SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2005 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: (Tringa macularia) Breeding pair at Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada 2016-05-26. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:07 7:09 |
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Location:
Slave Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 450 mm, f/9.5, 1/350 |
File Name: JCD3756SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: At the Kenneth Denman Wildlife Area, Rogue Valley Game Management Area, near Eagle Point, Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:09 12:00 |
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Location:
Ken Denman Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X9490-SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: Breeding adult at the Lee Metcalf NWR in the Bitterroot Valley near Stevensville, Montana USA 2015-05-27. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:26 18:05 |
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Location:
Lee Metcalf NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X5049-SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: Breeding adult at the Lee Metcalf NWR in the Bitterroot Valley near Stevensville, Montana USA 2015-05-27. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:26 18:01 |
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Location:
Lee Metcalf NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X5030-SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: (Tringa macularia) Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo, California USA 2011-11-01. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:01 14:34 |
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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: D3X4523-SpottedSandPiper |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: Seen at many places on this journey, this birds was seen at Moon Lake, near Tok, Alaska and the Alaska Highway. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:01 11:14 |
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Location:
Moon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/9.5, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD7002SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: Veteran's Park in urban Klamath Falls Oregon. Here, the Klamath River joins Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna and is called the "Link River". |
Date Taken: 2016:05:05 7:11 |
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Location:
Veteran's Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: D720127-SpottedSandPiper |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: Catfish Paradise is part of Lake Havasu National Wildlife Reserve. Near Topock Arizona in Mojave County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:12 14:25 |
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Location:
Catfish Paradise |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/3200 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D5X2121-CatfishParadise |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: This bird, still in breeding plumage, probably bred further north. Catfish Paradise is part of Lake Havasu National Wildlife Reserve. Near Topock Arizona in Mojave County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:12 14:25 |
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Location:
Topock Marsh |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/3200 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D5X2109-CatfishParadise |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: This bird, still in breeding plumage, probably bred further north. Catfish Paradise is part of Lake Havasu National Wildlife Reserve. Near Topock Arizona in Mojave County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:12 14:24 |
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Location:
Topock Marsh |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/3200 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D5X2085-CatfishParadise |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
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Description: Along the rocky coast south of Point La Jolla. La Jolla, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:09:09 8:18 |
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Location:
La Jolla |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X9845-SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: Along the rocky coast south of Point La Jolla. La Jolla, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:09:09 8:29 |
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Location:
La Jolla |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X9926-SpottedSandpiper |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Actitis macularius) |
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Description: Most Spotted Sandpipers spend winters in Mexico, Central America and South America and breed in the northern USA and to the Arctic regions of Canada. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:30 17:45 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1600 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D501715-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Actitis macularius) |
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Description: A few miles east of Roswell, New Mexico, along the Pecos River, is Bitter Lake NWR. These Spotted Sandpipers might not breed here, but they put on a display as if they were defending territory. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:11 8:50 |
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Location:
Bitter Lake NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D505838-BitterLake-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Actitis macularius) |
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Description: A few miles east of Roswell, New Mexico, along the Pecos River, is Bitter Lake NWR. These Spotted Sandpipers might not breed here, but they put on a display as if they were defending territory. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:11 8:50 |
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Location:
Bitter Lake NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D505851-BitterLake-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Actitis macularius) |
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Description: A few miles east of Roswell, New Mexico, along the Pecos River, is Bitter Lake NWR. These Spotted Sandpipers might not breed here, but they put on a display as if they were defending territory. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:11 8:54 |
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Location:
Bitter Lake NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D505882-BitterLake-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Actitis macularius) |
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Description: I'd seen the Spotted Sandpipers at a distance from camp during my stay, but this bird took the time to forage along the camp's shoreline. The camp where I spent April in Brownsville, Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border, Several feeder stations, with tall trees and grassy areas. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:26 8:32 |
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Location:
Breeze Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D508264Breeze-Lake-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Actitis macularius) |
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Description: I'd seen the Spotted Sandpipers at a distance from camp during my stay, but this bird took the time to forage along the camp's shoreline. The camp where I spent April in Brownsville, Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border, Several feeder stations, with tall trees and grassy areas. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:26 8:36 |
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Location:
Breeze Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D508297Breeze-Lake-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Actitis macularius) |
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Description: I'd seen the Spotted Sandpipers at a distance from camp during my stay, but this bird took the time to forage along the camp's shoreline. The camp where I spent April in Brownsville, Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border, Several feeder stations, with tall trees and grassy areas. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:26 8:37 |
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Location:
Breeze Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D508319Breeze-Lake-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Actitis macularius) |
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Description: I'd seen the Spotted Sandpipers at a distance from camp during my stay, but this bird took the time to forage along the camp's shoreline. The camp where I spent April in Brownsville, Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border, Several feeder stations, with tall trees and grassy areas. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:26 8:39 |
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Location:
Breeze Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D508372Breeze-Lake-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
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Description: Malheur NWR is in southeastern Oregon, west of Steens Mountains and south of Burns Oregon. Harney County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:30 6:39 |
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Location:
Visitor Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper-BarnSwallow_D5X8143-MalheurNWR |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: The lagoon behind Goleta Beach Park. Santa Barbara County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:19 15:35 |
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Location:
Sandspit Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper_D5X4605-SantaBarbara |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa macularia) |
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Description: Lindo Lake. Lakeside, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2012:08:01 9:45 |
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Location:
Lindo Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X4192-SpottedSandPiper |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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