When I got to ESP today, the YMCA was running a triathlon so I exited
quickly without seeing any sandpipers. But when I got back, things had
quieted down and I could search the little mudflat. The baby Killdeer kept
getting in the way, but I finally found a sandpiper, but it was a Spotted. I
traversed back and forth several times and suddenly realized I had both
Spotted and Solitary. They got to within 8-10 feet of each other, so I was
able to study the similarities and differences. The Spotted definitely does
more tail bobbing, but the Solitary is no slouch either. It’s not often that
I get to see 2 very similar birds near each other for direct comparison, as
opposed to photographic comparison.

Tom McCabe, Boise