
Western Sandpiper
Small and stocky with black legs and beak, they’re one of the tough-to-tell-apart sandpipers known as “peeps”. Look for rust-coloured patches on the head and wings during warmer months, which is the most likely time you’ll find them on the BC Bird Trail.
Active seasons
Spring and summer
How/where to find
Shorelines, mainly beaches and mudflats, are the place to try and spot these tiny sandpipers running around. You may not notice them until you or someone else gets too close and a handful of them lift off and fly a bit farther down the beach.
Most active in the Western parts of the province, you can spot the Western Sandpiper on the Central Vancouver Island, Columbia Valley, Fraser Valley, South Fraser, and Langford Bird Trails.
Photo by Carrie Olson / Shutterstock