I would like to enter the contest. I love to watch shorebirds. The
calidris family is also the most frustrating.

Disclaimers first. I am not an authority on calidris. My sole reference
is shorebirds, by Hayman, Marchant & Prater.

After spending some time looking at the stints (plates 76 through 80), my
first choice is a, drum roll, semipalmated stint (sandpiper). This
observation is based primarily on bill size and shape and facial markings.
In particular, Plate 75, the top two head profiles.

I understand that a semi is supposed to have dark legs, however, it iis not
a perfect world.

BTW, I argued myself in and out of little stint.

Also, this will not be the first time I misidentified a calidris.

It was fun, I hope the results of the comments will be put on birdchat.


Good Birding

Dick Wood
pawood at azstarnet.com
Tucson, AZ

32-16'-53.5" 111-04'-22.5"
En la tierra del sol y el cactus saguaro
http://www.azstarnet.com/~pawood/index.htm