Buff-breasted Sandpiper - East Coast, USA

Buff-breasted Sandpiper walking on a grassy field searching for food:

Buff-breasted Sandpiper ( Calidris subruficollis ) walking on grassy field - Tri-state area, East Coast, USA

Unlike most shorebirds, Buff-breasted Sandpipers forage in dry, grassy habitats, not wetlands.

Also unique for Buff-breasted Sandpipers is having a lek mating system. Males gather fairly close together and display for females. After mating, females raise their chicks without any help from the male. Lekking behavior is common among grouse but very unusual in shorebirds: the Ruff and Great Snipe of Eurasian are the only other lekking shorebirds. - source: AllAboutBirds

This photo was taken at the location described on page 12 of my Shorebirds of the Tri-state Area during Fall Migration guide. In this guide not only I’m providing detailed information on 15 locations but also information on how I’m finding these spots, how I’m deciding when and where to go for the best photographic opportunities, how I approach photography there and many more tips that can be applied at other locations. All that to help you improve your photography. Check it out - https://www.greggard.com/location-guides/shorebirds-tri-state-nj-ny-ct-photography-ebook

Close-up of a Buff-breasted Sandpiper - NJ, NY, CT

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Here are some of my favorite shorebird guides for a quick read (to save money buy used books):