Spoon-billed Sandpiper populations have been declining for decades, but the reasons are still unclear. Update September 2010 – My conclusion below is that climate change is likely to be the cause of declines, but recently Zockler et al (pdf here) concluded that hunting on the wintering grounds is a more significant threat. Apparently fledging rates at […]
Why is Spoon-billed Sandpiper disappearing? Read More »
I recently posted about an apparent hybrid sandpiper in Thailand. A few days earlier on the same trip (7 Feb 2010) I had seen another odd sandpiper that didn’t fit any known species. As I’ve worked on this post I feel safe ruling out Curlew Sandpiper, and the only things wrong for Dunlin are the
A second odd sandpiper from Thailand Read More »
On 14 Feb, 2010, while watching Spoon-billed Sandpipers at Pak Thale, Thailand, I observed a small sandpiper that did not fit any known species. I assume it is a hybrid, but I don’t know what species might be involved. It was in view twice for a total of only about 10 minutes, and I was
An apparent hybrid sandpiper in Thailand Read More »
One of the most distinctive birds in the world, the Spoon-billed Sandpiper hardly seems like an identification problem, but to pick one out of a flock of stints is really more difficult than you would think. Overall shape and size, color, and behavior are very similar to the stints. The spoon-shaped bill is surprisingly hard to
Identification of Spoon-billed Sandpiper Read More »
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper has one of the most striking and unusual bill shapes of any bird, but the function of the odd spoon-shaped bill has never been determined, and I was particularly interested in watching the birds in Thailand for any clues that might help solve this mystery.
Bill shape and foraging habits of Spoon-billed Sandpiper Read More »
My trip to Thailand (4-14 Feb 2010) was a great success, and I’ll be posting some observations, photos, and sketches here over the next few days. The known Spoon-billed Sandpiper site at Pak Thale was very reliable, with several individuals seen each day there, and up to six in view at once (7 and 10
Finding Spoon-billed Sandpipers in Thailand Read More »
Updated June 5th 2010 with high-res images! The Sibley Guide to Birds is now available as an app for iPhone and iPod Touch. Check it out at the iTunes app store (here). June 9th – Several users have reported issues with some of the new sounds added in this update. Uninstalling and reinstalling the program
The Sibley eGuide to the Birds of North America Read More »
I’ll be in Thailand for the next two weeks, hoping to fulfill a decades-long dream to see Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Like many birders, I have always been fascinated by shorebirds – their subtle and elegant shapes and colors, the identification challenges they present, and most of all by their powers of flight and their long migrations.
Off to chase Spoon-billed Sandpiper Read More »
minor updates 2 Mar 2010 Identifying female goldeneyes is extremely challenging. Differences are subtle, subjective, and inconsistent, but experienced observers still build up a “template” of expected impressions that allow them to identify the species with confidence. Describing these differences, and identifying individual birds from photos, can be very challenging because the process of identification
Distinguishing female Barrow’s and Common Goldeneyes Read More »
I’ve just posted a new page that lists some of my most-frequently-used online references about trees. You can find it here, and it is also linked on the Tree Info page.
New page on Tree references Read More »