SOPI Shorebird Workshop
October 9-10, 2004

During the workshop, held around Jobos Bay, we learned to recognize shorebirds by form, voice, silhouette, bill size, and, if all else fails, color.
We also learned who had the best telescope.

Click on any photo to see it enlarged

The "peeps" are always confusing.  But during the workshop, we were lucky enough to get good views of the three most easily confused species.

note the short beak

here longer, with a slight curve

and this one's easy - green legs

Other shorebirds included a number of plovers, including Black-bellied, Semipalmated (right), and Wilson's (below).

At dawn and dusk, shorebirds are generally best identified by their silhouette.  

Stilt Sandpiper - Playero Patilargo
(Calidris himanotopus)

Short-billed Dowitcher - Agujeta Pico Corto
(Limnodromus griseus)

Semipalmated Plover
Chorlo Acollarado
(Charadrius semipalmatus)

Wilson's Plover - Chorlo Marítimo
(Charadrius wilsonia)

We also had time to watch some non-shorebirds.  

Warbling Silverbill - Gorrión Picoplata
(Lonchura malabarica)

Red-crowned Parrot - Cotorra Coronirroja
(Amazona viridigenalis)

Monk Parakeet - Periquito Monje
(Myiopsitta monachus)

All photographs Copyright John Thomlinson, 2004
All Rights Reserved