24 Nebraskaland • August-September 2026
Observers likely won't see that bird flying over Nebraska as it's not on the
long-established route, but other long distance migrants do fly over here and
many stop. The pectoral sandpiper, which breeds in upper North America and
Siberia and summers in lower South America, potentially makes a trip of more
than 18,000 miles.
Those that stop along the way from one hemisphere to the other diligently
forage to gather the fuel needed for the next leg of the journey. While there is
some variation in technique, most species have long bills and long legs, suited
for wading the shallows probing the mud or sand for invertebrates. Long toes
keep them from sinking into the substrate.
This characteristic was on full display one spring evening in the blind at Kiowa
Wildlife Management Area when I was visited by a large flock of willets (Tringa
semipalmata). As I put them to bed with a sunset photo that evening, I planned
to rejoin them the next morning. I didn't know at the time that willets are night
travelers and they were long gone by the time I returned at first light. Migratory
birds such as willets capitalize on the cooler, calmer air of night and evade
daytime predators. They use stars and the Earth's magnetic field for navigation.
The average shorebird might not get as much attention from people as other
species, with a mottled plumage of brown that provides excellent camouflage
but doesn't impress upon first glance. The similar plumage among many species
can make identification a challenge. Admittedly, I often don't know what
species I'm looking at until examining photos later. Solving the mystery is part
of the fun for me.
Of more than 235 species of shorebirds found worldwide, 87 are in the
Americas and more than 30 move through Nebraska. The Nebraska Birding
Guide website directs people to the wet meadows of the Platte Valley, shallow
lakes in the Sandhills, and wetlands and flooded fields of the Rainwater Basin
to see shorebirds. All prime locations, for sure, but I've encountered plenty at
farm ponds and the shores of large irrigation reservoirs in western Nebraska
when the water is low in late summer.
A willet fuels up before making a night flight northward in spring. A pectoral sandpiper lands at Lake Minatare, a stop on a
journey that may be as long as 18,000 miles.
