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~ SANDPIPERS in ALASKA ~
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Cordova Sandpiper Migration |
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Every year, the Copper River Delta is the stage for an incredible event of nature: the shorebird migration, when thousands of birds stop
along the delta to feed. Sandpipers rest side by side on one leg, forming a mat of birds.
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Witnessing the events in person is really the best way to fully experience the bird migration. The pictures alone don't completely tell the whole story.
To see more of the Cordova Sandpiper migration, visit our Cordova page: >> Cordova.
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This sandpiper flock of thousands moves as one in a synchronized sky ballet.
They take off in a blink of an eye, darkening the sky... And they land in the next instant. Western Sandpipers and Dunlins.
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Western Sandpipers resting after a long migration to Alaska. At low tide, they look
for food on the mud flats.
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Western Sandpipers find strength in numbers and congregate in very large flocks.
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Dunlins are very similar to Western Sandpipers and sometimes mix within the same flock.
Dunlins have a black patch on their belly.
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With their long bill, Sandpipers probe the mud for food.
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Lesser Yellow Legs in the marshes of Fairbanks & Anchorage during the spring and summer.
Their slender legs and long bill allow them to efficiently wade through shallow ponds for food.
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This Sandpiper is quite small, only 3 to 4 inches tall. Notice the size of the pebbles at the edge of the water.
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Sandpipers make a stop in Homer during their annual migration.
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