The Western is larger, cleaner white below, with a prominent white eye brow, with a longer heavier slightly decurved bill, and dark blackish legs. The browner, dumpier smaller Least has dull yellow-greenish legs, a shorter bill, and lacks the prominent white eye brow line of the juvenile Western Sandpiper.



> On Sep 7, 2022, at 3:55 PM, Jay E <jaybham52 at gmail.com> wrote:

>

> I continue to be challenged with shorebird ID among birds with similar shapes and sizes. Anyway, I took this at Fir Island Hayton Reserve on September 3. This group of shorebirds was flying as a group of about 20-30 and landed at the water's edge. I believe there are two different birds here due to plumage and leg color differences, and I think the one one the right is a Least sandpiper. I'm happy to be corrected. If you can help me differentiate the two, let me know what are the distinctions I should be noting.

>

> https://www.flickr.com/gp/rippleman/1A8bk07oTs <https://www.flickr.com/gp/rippleman/1A8bk07oTs>

>

> Thanks - Jay Eisenberg

> Bellingham, WA

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