I fell in love with sanderlings (Calidris alba) in 2017, and the love affair continues as I chase these little sandpipers all over the beaches of New York. These small sandpipers, or peeps, stay around during the winter, and I spent much of the winter of 2018-19 filming these small birds at Breezy Point and on Staten Island.
Sanderlings (and a killdeer), Mount Loretto Unique Area, Staten Island, December 26, 2021
Sanderlings, Nickerson Beach, Long Island, July 13, 2023
Sanderlings, the beach at Mount Loretto Unique Area, Staten Island, December 19, 2022
One of the highlights of sanderling-watching came on May 2, 2019, when I saw at least a thousand sanderlings grouping together on the shore of Nickerson Beach. I filmed them and added music by Wagner to stress the epic nature of these birds!
Sanderling, Breezy Point, December 28, 2021
Sanderlings, Nickerson Beach, May 2, 2019
This first sanderling video (there will be more, since I am addicted to filming these peeps) is called So Many Sanderlings!
Sanderlings, Nickerson Beach, May 2, 2019
Some photos of the sanderlings from earlier follow.
Sanderlings, the beach near Wolfe's Pond, Staten Island, April 21, 2018
Sanderling, Wolfe’s Pond, Staten Island, March 26, 2019
Sanderling, Wolfe's Pond, Staten Island, April 21, 2018
Sanderlings, Fort Tilden, Queens, March 15, 2018