Sandpiper IDs

I'm completely confused by those sandpipers. I got them today in Lake Somerset (in southwest Pennsylvania). Photo #1 and #2 are the same bird. Photo #3 is another one. Is that possible to identify them?

Thanks,
Cui

Methinks you mean #1 and #3 are the same, and #2 different ;-)

#1 and #3 are Solitary Sandpiper.

#2 is probably a Least Sandpiper.

Resin

Yeah, wrong orders.

I find sandpipers are really tricky to identify. Could you explain a bit more about how do you identify them?

Thanks,
Cui

Things to check are leg length and colour, bill length and curvature, and patterns like presence or not of white rumps, wingbars, etc. But a lot of it comes down to instinct with long experience :-)

Resin

Hi Resin,

> instinct with long experience
I like that!

For photo #1 and #3, I think Solitary Sandpipers often have white eyering, but it's not very clear in the photos. Do you think it would be an issue? And how do you rule out Semipalmated Sandpiper?

Thanks,
Cui