juvenile, Pectoral Sandpiper

A pectoral sandpiper showed up at Montlake Fill today. They are very rare in Washington in Spring. The main flyway is through the eastern and central USA up to their breeding ground in the Northwest Territories and Alaska. Very few birds show up along the pacific coast in Spring. In Fall a few adults return down the Pacific coast but not many. Juvenile birds are much more common preferring the direct route south rather than returning east of the Rocky Mountains.

Pectorals are true long distance migrants and have long wings to match. Take a look at how long the wings look, with the primary feathers projecting well past the tip of the tail. Pectorals breed in the high arctic central Canada west to the Taymyr Peninsula in Russia. Twice a year they make the journey to and from their wintering ground in the southern half of South America, Australia and New Zealand.

This bird was rather wary initially however after sitting quietly as the bird fed around the edges of the main pond it was relatively easy to photograph though as with most sandpipers it never stayed still for long.