Sanderlings. Where Do They Come From, Where Do They Go?

You may recognize this little shorebird as a type of Sandpiper. You probably don't even give them a second glance most days, unless it's to watch the silly way they run. Their legs moving similar to that of a cyclist or the Roadrunner.

But one thing you may not have asked yourself is "why don't I ever see baby Sanderlings." Actually, let's be honest, you've probably never asked that. But you still may find their breeding grounds interesting.

Weighing in at a mighty 54 grams with an impressive wingspan of 43 centimeters, this tiny little nondescript brown bird can travel from 3,000 kilometers up to 10,000 kilometers from its wintering sites along marine coasts worldwide all the way to its breeding grounds in the high arctic. The United States, Canada, Greenland, Russia all share a sliver of this shorebird's important breeding habitat. Every so often I like to remind myself that living dinosaurs migrate unfathomable distances yearly, simply to fulfill one of the four F's of life.

Unfortunately, I am on the 69th parallel and not within the range of their breeding territory. Anomalies aside, I probably won't be able to get any photos of a nest of eggs nor their babies. But to be honest, I wouldn't want to disturb them anyway. The numbers of Sanderlings and other shorebirds are in constant jeopardy and need every advantage we can give them. And sometimes the best advantage you can provide an animal is to simply leave them alone.

All photos are my own taken by myself unless explicitly stated otherwise (for example, the Wikipedia map)