Bird of the Week – Terek’s Sandpiper
WC’s Bird of the Week feature is reaching the end of WC’s photo list of Alaska birds. Three of the next four birds are Eurasian species that WC was lucky enough to photograph. The first is a Terek’s Sandpiper, which appeared in Anchorage a couple of years ago.
Terek’s Sandpiper, Cook Inlet, Anchorage
Note the distinctive long, up-turned bill on this species. You can’t see if clearly in this photo but the legs are yellow-orange. Terek’s are a Eurasian species, “casual” in Alaska, a birding term that means you see them once in a blue moon. As you might imagine, there were hordes of birders of this lost little avian. If WC had tried to get closer for a better shot, he would have been lynched.
WC isn’t a “chaser,” at least for beyond a radius of 10-15 miles. WC was in Anchorage for business, en route to Homer. It was pure, dumb luck WC saw this bird at all.
For more bird photos, please visit Frozen Feather Images.
The past few days around NW iowa have been in the 60s and we sent some geese your way. It is supposed to snow and get into the 20s so the geese may come back. I don’t pretend to know how they think. 🙂
Eurasian, huh? That might explain the Muslim sounding name Terek. Still, it is an outstanding picture of a another bird I had never heard of. Thanks as always, WC.