Earlier this month, we posted a photo of a small shorebird and asked for help with the ID — with the understanding that IDing any bird from a single photo can be tricky at best. (Link is here.)
We were thinking to ourselves that it might be a Western Sandpiper, and were surprised at the variety of responses.
One birder thought was a Western Sandpiper. Others thought it was a Dunlin. Another thought it was a juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper.
We decided to ask Kevin Karlson, author of "The Shorebird Guide," for his diagnosis: "None of the above."
Click "Continue reading…" for Kevin's verdict, and the thinking that went into it.