WOW! UPLAND SANDPIPERS!

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~Wow wow wow! UPLAND SANDPIPER in Ulster County NY, 6/9/15.~

My work took me up north today, so I figured I would hit the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR on my way home. I was hoping to have some better luck photographing the Grasshopper Sparrows at the reserve. On my way there, I checked Blue Chip Farms for Upland Sandpipers but did not have any luck. I was a little bit annoyed by it because there have been SO many reports of the bird at that location on eBird lately. I continued to the grasslands where I walked the trails briefly but had no luck with Grasshopper Sparrows (maybe it was the time of day? It was around 4:00 in the afternoon…). I enjoyed seeing and photographing the Bobolinks and I saw a distant Northern Harrier hunting.

On my way home, as I was checking Blue Chip Farms once again (I was doing a drive-by basically), I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw an UPLAND SANDPIPER perched on the fence closest to the road!!! I stopped the car and the bird did not flush. As I reached for my camera, a motorcycle went screaming by and flushed the bird! My heart was broken! It relocated to a far off fence where I got good looks and some distant photos. I went back to my car and waited, and I couldn’t believe it when not one, but two Upland Sandpipers flew in and landed on the grass just beyond the closest fence. Then, one of them flew closer and perched briefly on the fence! I couldn’t believe my luck, what a great day, to get photos of this bird, which until today was considered one of those awesome birds that I would probably never get a decent photograph of!

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~UPSA at Blue Chip Farms in Ulster County NY, 6/9/15.~
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~Ulster County UPSA, 6/9/15.~
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~Uppy at Blue Chip Farms, 6/9/15.~
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~Love this shot on the distant fence too, UPSA at Blue Chip Farms, 6/9/15.~
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~Upland Sandpiper in flight, Ulster County NY, 6/9/15.~

16 thoughts on “WOW! UPLAND SANDPIPERS!”

  4. Hi Matt,

    Great shots! I guess the secret is PATIENCE!!! Well worth the wait. Good going.

  5. Beautiful photos of this gorgeous bird, Matt! I especially like the ones of the Uplands in the grasses and meadow flowers.

  6. Some of the best photos I’ve seen of the Uppies! Great job Matt!
    Scotty

    1. Thanks Barbara. I’ve had the same experience as you up until this time (except only 1/2 hour drive). Hopefully you will get lucky next time. Matt

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