Richmond Road and Hollo Road ~ August 22, 2023

Kathy Sieminski had posted on PABIRDS that she saw a Great Egret and some Yellowlegs at a flooded field along Richmond Road. Adam Miller checked out the spot and one other nearby and found a good number of shorebirds there. I was finally able to get over there on Tuesday. I stopped at the flooded field at the intersection of Richmond Road and Frutchey Hill Road. There, I found the Great Egret, 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 3 Least and 2 Spotted Sandpipers, a Solitary Sandpiper, 3 Lesser Yellowlegs, and 4 Killdeer.

Semipalmated Sandpipers

I got a photo showing the camparison between a Least Sandpiper and one of the Semipalmated Sandpipers.

A Least Sandpiper (left) showing the more rufous coloration and longer, thinner bill compared to the Semipalmated Sandpiper (right) with the more grayish coloration and shorter, thicker bill.

I drove a short distance south, parked at Glover Road, and walked up to the other flooded field area. This one had more birds and the lighting was much better for photos. I counted 4 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 44 Least Sandpipers, 5 Solitary Sandpipers, and 4 Lesser Yellowlegs.

Semipalmated Sandpipers

Two Semipalmated Sandpipers (lower left and upper right) among Least Sandpipers. Note the grayish coloration of the Semipalmateds compared to the more rufous Leasts.

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Two Semipalmated Sandpipers (center top and bottom) between two Least Sandpipers. Note the thicker, stubbier bills on the Semipalmateds.

Here's another comparison photo between a Semipalmated Sandpiper (left) and a Least Sandpiper (right).

A Semipalmated Sandpiper (left) and a Least Sandpiper (right).

A Solitary Sandpiper (front) and a Semipalmated Sandpiper (back).

A Solitary Sandpiper (left) and a Lesser Yellowlegs (right).

Solitary Sandpiper

Lesser Yellowlegs

From there, I drove over to the Hollo Road pond and spotted a Wilson's Snipe and another Semipalmated Sandpiper.

Wilson's Snipe

Semipalmated Sandpiper

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