Sunday, September 26, 2010

Really Solitary!

In all the extensive grasslands and ponds in Costa del Este (Panama City), I only was able to found one, and only one, Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria). What else can you expect of a bird with such a name? In Panama, the Solitary Sandpiper is a common winter visitor, found from august to april. Only the Spotted Sandpiper has a more widespread distribution in Panama and like it is found commonly away of the coast. It is incredible how a bird breeding in Canada and Alaska found its way to Panama and beyond!This particular bird was in a muddy spot in the middle of a grassland, walking deliberately, picking insects from the water surface. It allowed me to approach closely, always vigilant. Sometimes, it was doing a high-pitched peet!; my sign to freeze and to stop approaching it.
Despite it is not brightly coloured, it has a very attractive pattern in white and brown with yellow legs. Those tiny white dots in the back and the white eye-ring are specially showy.For a solitary bird, this sandpiper looks simply great!
This post was submitted to Bird Photography Weekly #109. Check it out!

5 comments:

  1. Just superb Jan. Those might well be the best shots I have ever seen of Solitary Sand. Well done!

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  2. Very nice! A great example of a bird that can blend in to its surroundings!

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  3. Great photos and interesting description. My birding books say that it is a rare vagrant down here to Australia.

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  4. @ Phil: thank you very much, it was very close.

    @ Lana: you're right... I first detected it only because of its call!

    @ Mick: Australia? WOW, and I thought Panama was southern enough.

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