I photographed a few shorebirds at Tod Creek Flats yesterday and thought I'd share a few shots:


Solitary Sandpiper


Greater Yellowlegs


Lesser Yellowlegs


Comparison of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs

If you want to read this in a blog format that is not overly informative but questionably humorous, feel free to visit:
http://naturalestnaturalist.blogspot.ca/2012/08/embrace-your-common-name-day-at-marsh.html

Jeremy Gatten
Saanichton, B.C.

Great shots Jeremy, nice to see that you're out there photographing.

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Debra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/featherweight2009

Thanks Jeremy. I like the Greater and Lesser YL comparison shot.

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Willi Braun, Edmonton
http://paraguayanmeister.blogspot.com/
http://www.pbase.com/paraguayanmeister

Thanks Willi and Debra - I often try to get shots that are instructive for identification purposes, but sometimes lighting is too good to pass up.

Jeremy Gatten
Saanichton, B.C.
http://naturalestnaturalist.blogspot.ca/

I love that Solitary Sandpiper, never have gotten a close shot of that species.

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Paul Kusmin
http://www.flickr.com/photos/revs45
http://45revs.blogspot.com

Digital (photo) Life List:
283 birds B.C. / 427 birds N.A. / 706 birds World (including NA)

It's too bad you're not on southern Vancouver Island right now, Paul! I went back a couple days later and the Solitary was in a tiny side puddle and was even more cooperative - down to maybe a few metres. It was rather confiding but the lighting wasn't nearly as nice.

Solitary Sandpipers will end up out on mudflats like Boundary Bay occasionally, but I see them more on flooded agricultural fields or small ponds with a muddy fringe more often. They must end up in the Iona ponds periodically, no?

Good birding,
Jeremy Gatten
Saanichton, B.C.
http://naturalestnaturalist.blogspot.ca/