Western Sandpiper Photo Credit: Alvaro Jaramillo

**Nature Nugget**

Check out this photo of the Western Sandpiper, taken from local bird specialist, Alvaro Jaramillo. These Western Sandpipers are migrating through the San Mateo County coast right now on their way up to northernmost Alaska. The Western Sandpiper shows bright rusty colors on the back and face during the breeding season and grayish in winter. It is 6-7 inches in length and has a wingspan of 10-15 inches, with white undersides, a long bill with a slightly curved tip, long legs, and slightly webbed feet. Females tend to be larger and have longer bills than males.

The Western Sandpipers can be found probing into the mud or sand, extracting aquatic invertebrates (such as crustaceans, mollusks, and marine worms), feeding in or at the edge of shallow water. Their diet also includes insects, spiders, and larvae, which they pick from plants or water.