Wandering Tattler
Tringa incana

The Wandering Tattler nests in rocky areas along mountain streams of Alaska and northwest Canada. They winter along the rocky coastlines of California and Mexico. As their name suggests, wander they will. Sightings from places as far out of their predicted range, such as Australia are occasionally reported. Small, but regular numbers breed across the Bering Strait on Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula.
Scientists who study this species have struggled with how it fits into shorebird taxonomy. DNA analysis is pending, and we could see revisions in the near future. Studies are difficult, partly because of a relatively small population, and because much of their summer and winter habitats are in remote regions, making it difficult to observe. Their slate-gray coloring lets it all but disappear in its surroundings.
Today’s science regards the Wandering Tattler as monotypic (i.e. no subspecies).
Most of my encounters with this species have come from the rocky shores of La Jolla (California), but I’ve also found them near Crescent City (California) near the border with Oregon.
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16 Photos

Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: Mission Beach Jetty. San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:24 10:42 |
Location:
Mission Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X2322-WanderingTattler |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: Mission Beach Jetty. San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:24 10:50 |
Location:
Mission Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X2457-WanderingTattler |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: I found this adult bird, with still a few breeding feathers, near The Cove in La Jolla, California (San Diego County). |
Date Taken: 2008:09:10 15:42 |
Location:
La Jolla |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 |
File Name: jcd0913WanderingTattler |
© 2008 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: I found this adult bird, with still a few breeding feathers, near The Cove in La Jolla, California (San Diego County). |
Date Taken: 2008:09:10 15:43 |
Location:
La Jolla |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: jcd0929WanderingTattler |
© 2008 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: I found this adult bird, with still a few breeding feathers, near The Cove in La Jolla, California (San Diego County). |
Date Taken: 2008:09:10 15:44 |
Location:
La Jolla |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: jcd0933WanderingTattler |
© 2008 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: Nonbreeding adult near The Cove. La Jolla, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2009:09:16 7:42 |
Location:
La Jolla |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD6347.WanderingTattler |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadetree-imaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: Mission Beach Jetty. San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:24 10:50 |
Location:
Mission Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: Cut_D3X2457-WanderingTattler |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: Birds I met in Crescent City California near the boat basin of the harbor. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:11 12:55 |
Location:
Crescent City Harbor |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WanderingTattler_D5X2346-CrescentCity |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: This bird is demonstrating an awareness that some of the threats it faces come from above. Birds I met in Crescent City California near the boat basin of the harbor. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:11 12:55 |
Location:
Crescent Harbor |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WanderingTattler_D5X2333-CrescentCity |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: Along the rocky coast south of Point La Jolla. La Jolla, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:09:09 8:58 |
Location:
La Jolla |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X9937-WanderingTattler |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: Along the rocky coast south of Point La Jolla. La Jolla, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:09:09 8:21 |
Location:
La Jolla |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/160 |
File Name: D3X9854-WanderingTattler |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: Along the rocky coast south of Point La Jolla. La Jolla, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:09:09 8:18 |
Location:
La Jolla |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X9845-SpottedSandpiper |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: Flycatching along the rocky coast south of Point La Jolla. La Jolla, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:09:09 8:57 |
Location:
La Jolla |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X9929-WanderingTattler |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Spotted Sandpiper(Tringa incana) |
Description: Along the rocky coast south of Point La Jolla. La Jolla, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:09:09 8:15 |
Location:
La Jolla |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X9823-SpottedSandpiper |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: Along the rocky coast south of Point La Jolla. La Jolla, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:09:09 8:16 |
Location:
La Jolla |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X9834-WanderingTattler |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana) |
Description: Birds I met in Crescent City California near the boat basin of the harbor. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:11 12:54 |
Location:
Crescent Harbor |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WanderingTattler_D5X2314-CrescentCity |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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