Date: 10/3/25 8:44 pm From: TaberA via groups.io <taberallison...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Curlew Sandpiper at Garcia River Mouth
On October 1st, while scoping from the bluffs on the south edge of the Garcia River Mouth, I saw two Curlew Sandpipers in a flock of Western Sandpipers foraging along the gravel water's edge nearest the bluff. Apologies for not posting sooner, but I wasn't able to post to the listserv until today - I just signed up to the listserv yesterday.
I got clear views of the flock and the CUSA for about 10-15 minutes before they flew off, and I lost track of them.
I believe I saw two adults in non-breeding plumage (told by grayish appearance above and white unmarked belly) foraging with a flock of 15 Western Sandpipers, which were ~half the size of the CUSA; the two CUSA had relatively long, downcurved/droopy bills; their dark legs had a bluish cast in bright light.
Target birds were larger, longer-billed, longer-legged and had a more slender body shape when compared to Dunlin and, in general, they just were not the right GIS for a Dunlin. My first thought was Stilt Sandpiper, but that species has yellowish legs.
