Spotted Sandipiper

I was walking along the Mississippi River yesterday, and saw a streak of movement against the muddy shoreline.

When I turned to look more closely, it wasn't there.

This happened again and again until I realized that there were some little birds dashing about who were perfectly camouflaged.

Here are the same two pictures, with the fledglings circled.

It was a nest of little spotted sandpipers.  They slipped away up the shore and I was left with just a few fleeting glimpses.

An ever watchful parent was not far away - probably the dad, since they do the raising of the little ones.

Thankfully I had a couple of clear enough shots that I could I.D. the birds.

Spotted sandpipers are one of the most easy shorebird to identify - luckily for me.  Their spotted breast (prominent during mating season) and the white and black eyelines help distinguish them from other sandpipers.