Rocky shorelines are one of the preferred habitats of the spotted sandpiper.

The smallest of the shorebirds are called “peeps.” They range in size from six to eight inches or are about the size of a sparrow. They are tiny, move quickly and have short legs. The sanderling and dunlin are close in size to the smallest of the shorebirds, but there are other species that are much smaller. These are the birds that birders call peeps. The next few articles will focus on a few of our smallest shorebirds or peeps.

The least sandpiper at 6 inches and the spotted sandpiper at 7.5 inches in size are two of the peeps we see on the Long Beach Peninsula. The most common is the least sandpiper which is our smallest sandpiper. The spotted sandpiper is considered uncommon in our area in spring and fall, and occasional in summer and winter — which means it is seen several times a year or locally. Moreover, it is one of our nesting shorebirds.

Least sandpipers are almost always seen in small numbers on the Ilwaco harbor mudflats on the right side of the road leading into the harbor where they forage for small terrestrial or aquatic prey such as sand fleas, and flies. They also gather in small or medium sized flocks on the beach, at the port of Nahcotta and on the shorelines of Willapa Bay. The place to look for them is beyond the other shorebirds in areas closer to the sand dunes or vegetation. The best ID markers are their very small size, yellowish legs, and small head. It is the only peep with very yellow legs. In general, it appears dark on the back and breast. They have been characterized as nervous when feeding such that they will frequently burst into flight, landing a short distance away (Bird, 2019). These tiny peeps can put on quite the show!

The spotted sandpiper is euphemistically called the “spotty! Spotties can be as entertaining and perhaps more so than the least sandpiper. They walk quickly and continually bob and teeter their tails as they forage on the surface. The spotted sandpiper is easy to ID when in breeding plumage because it has large dark spots on its white breast. In addition, it has what I call a white shoulder which is wedged shaped and is a part of the white breast. Their bill is dark with a pinkish-orangey base. One of its signature characteristics is that it flies close to the water with very stiff, shallow wingbeats. This unique style gives the impression that it is flying on the tips of its wings. Its preference is for rocky or sandy shores or streams. In my experience, they are usually off to the left on the rocks or shoreline at the end of the Maya Lin walk at Cape D. The shoreline of Willapa bay, and the shorelines at the port of Nahcotta are also locations where I have seen them most often. They often lounge on the oyster shells piled next to the shoreline at the port.

We have a variety of peeps on the peninsula, and they are all entertaining. The peep show begins the minute you witness the teetering and bobbing of the spotty, and/or the speedy bursts of flight of the flocks of least sandpipers. So, grab your binoculars! Go out and look for the peep shows on our peninsula beaches and shorelines. Happy birding!