Dunlin

Recognition
These are about 9 inches in length from the head to the tip of the tail. The back is brown and the underside is pale. The bill and legs are dark. The eyes look black.

Where seen
Seen in singles along the sand, close to the marina entrance when the tide has gone out. Sometimes seen in spring in small numbers on Lofton Island.

Jimmy’s notes
Quite large flocks arrive at Sanibel  and Captiva during the fall and can be seen wading along the water’s edge.  When a flock is flushed,  they are seen to fly in unison, often twisting and turning.
These birds look very similar in coloration to sanderlings but if you look carefully, you will see that the bill of the dunlin is slightly curved downwards while that of the sanderling is straight.
The birds seen here in Florida are winter visitors and depart in spring to go North.