Buff-breasted Sandpiper in the U.P.

Tryngites subruficollis

Most birders see this uncommon species at sod farms and golf courses across the Midwest during fall migration—at great distances, with the summer sun obscuring the distant birds behind the wavy haze of a heat mirage. In Marquette, on the other hand, most autumns (mainly August and early September) we’re treated to Buffies that are so approachable, you can almost touch them (presumably exhausted from their Lake crossing). Best places in Marquette include the Lower Harbour break wall, the fields near the Superior Dome, and the sandy beach near the mouth of the Dead River. They are reported annually along the Lake elsewhere in the U.P. as well.

Here is a link to photos I’ve made of Buff-breasted Sandpiper.