Shorebird - July 8th, Horry County, SC

[Charlie Spencer]

Russell Burgess Coastal Preserve, Little River, South Carolina, USA. July 8th, 2026. A tidal estuary at low tide.

I was trying my camera's digital zoom to see how useful it might be. This is a screenshot of a photo of a Great Egret and the bird on the right that's giving me trouble. In the field I called it a Willet . Looking at the photos, the bill seems too long, it seems too large when compared to the GREG, and the color seems off somehow. The legs aren't yellow, and it doesn't seem chunky enough for a dowitcher.

Thanks for any related feedback!

[lonesome55dove]

Could you post the original photo?

[Charlie Spencer]

Could you post the original photo?

Well, I tried but the file is 9 megabytes and there's a 5 meg limit on attachments. i'm trying to find a way to reduce the file size without compromising image quality or size.

"Your call is important to us. Please remain on the line."

[Charlie Spencer]

Could you post the original photo?

Try this link, please. I don't share files regularly and I'm not sure if the security is correct. Just because the link works for me, the file owner, doesn't mean it will work for others.

https://1drv.ms/i/c/cd3eb7316c3d2287/IQ ... I?e=Bb6LVO

[lonesome55dove]

Ok, thanks!

[Lonestranger]

Thanks for any related feedback!

Sorry, I can't help with the ID, but I do have some feedback related to the use of digital zoom. I think it has its time and place, but I have always viewed it as a last resort and seldom actually used it. If you're evaluating it's usefulness try comparing a shot at max zoom, 600mm, that you can crop to match the framing of a digitally zoomed shot of the same scene. Digital zoom is basically 'in camera' cropping which is probably best compared to similarly framed 'out of camera' cropping. At a certain distance one will provide far superior image quality over the other, but you'd need to take some comparison shots to figure all that out. Filling the frame as much as possible with our subjects usually helps capture as much detail as possible, sometimes digital zoom can help in that regard. Digital zoom can also create a pixelated mess if it's pushed too far so use with caution, or experiment more than I did so that you can use it, or not use, it with confidence.

[Charlie Spencer]

Sorry, I can't help with the ID,

Of course you can''t, but you keep trying, Champ!

I think it has its time and place, but I have always viewed it as a last resort and seldom actually used it.

Agreed but it 'had been a couple of years since I tried it and thought I'd take another look. The camera has two digital options, and I took three shots with each of them, along with optical only. I was reminded why I don't use those features, but sometimes I need those reminders.

For me, it's time and place is as a crude spotting scope, sometimes useful for long-range ID but I don't trigger the shutter.

[lonesome55dove]

Ok, thanks. The file worked for me.

Just throwing this out to see where it lands... maybe? Marbled Godwit?

Bing visual says Buff-breasted Sandpiper, but I say no. Your bird doesn't have yellow legs, and the bill appears too long for the sandpiper.

[Charlie Spencer]

Ok, thanks. The file worked for me.

Just throwing this out to see where it lands... maybe? Marbled Godwit?

Bing visual says Buff-breasted Sandpiper, but I say no. Your bird doesn't have yellow legs, and the bill appears too long for the sandpiper.

Buff-breasted has been reported only a half dozen times along a 150-mile stretch of coastline, not at all in the last 15 years.

Marbled Godwit would be highly unlikely but there are scattered reports along the coast every year in July, including this hotspot. While I like the possibility, I don't think this photo would be acceptable evidence.

[Kansabirdguy]

Why not Hugo

[lonesome55dove]

I didn't realize that Western Willets migrate to the East Coast. I've been looking at Eastern Willets but can't quite make a match. Could it be a Western?

[Charlie Spencer]

Why not Hugo

I have literally no clue what this post means in the context of the original photo. If I can't identify the species, it seems kind of disrespectful to ask the bird for its first name.

I didn't realize that Western Willets migrate to the East Coast. I've been looking at Eastern Willets but can't quite make a match. Could it be a Western?

Dang it, now you've forced me to look up the difference between them, something I've been pushing to the back burner for a couple of years.

Someone posted at BirdForum that female Willets have longer bills than male, so that has me leaning away from godwits.

[Kansabirdguy]

Why not Hugo

I have literally no clue what this post means in the context of the original photo. If I can't identify the species, it seems kind of disrespectful to ask the bird for its first name.

I meant Hudsonian godwit

[stitch58]

I agree with Hudsonian Godwit. If you go into Merlin at the following link & look at the juvenile in the second picture it looks like a pretty good match for your bird;

https://merlinbirds.org/species/hudgod

The white near the vent & chest match up well & the rest of the plumage doesn't look "distinctive" enough for a Marbled. Personally think the bill is to long for Willet too even for a female.

[lonesome55dove]

I agree with Hudsonian Godwit. If you go into Merlin at the following link & look at the juvenile in the second picture it looks like a pretty good match for your bird;

https://merlinbirds.org/species/hudgod

The white near the vent & chest match up well & the rest of the plumage doesn't look "distinctive" enough for a Marbled. Personally think the bill is to long for Willet too even for a female.

I have a question: even with the quality of the screenshot/photo, wouldn't the black tail be visible for a Hudsonian? Thanks!

[SirVive]

[quote=

"Your call is important to us. Please remain on the line."
[/quote]


Home run!

[Charlie Spencer]

I meant Hudsonian godwit

I agree with Hudsonian Godwit.

I might have possibly convinced myself this is a MAGO. HUGO is unholy rare on the Carolinas coast in the middle of summer, six sightings total.

I have a question: even with the quality of the screenshot/photo, wouldn't the black tail be visible for a Hudsonian? Thanks!

With the (lack of) quality of the photo, I've decided the bird is unidentifiable based solely on this image. I'm still leaning strongly toward Willet, it's more likely than MAGO by several orders of magnitude, and there were at least three others in the area.

Thanks, everybody!

[Charlie Spencer]

"Your call is important to us. Please remain on the line."

Home run!

I worked as an IT help desk technician and network admin for a few decades. I spent considerable time on hold with IT companies' service desk, and had plenty of opportunity to memorize their recordings. Eventually I started reciting them back to my callers. I got so good at a flat monotone that often my callers would think they had connected to an actual recording, even though I would always put in some personal comment. After I'd hear them swear or sigh, and hang up, I'd call them right back.

"Thank you for calling Hitachi Rail technical support. Your call is important to us, please remain on the line. All of our technicians are helping other <insert person's department> employees with their IT needs. Currently you are number <ridiculously high three-digit number> in our wait queue, with an average wait time of <ridiculously high two digit number> minutes. If you'd like to leave a message, press 1 and our technicians will call you back. If you'd like to hear answers to frequently asked questions, press 2. This call may be recorded for quality control and training purposes. Please remain on the line after your call is finished to complete a brief two-question survey. ..."

And several other lines I've thankfully forgotten.

[stitch58]

I agree with Hudsonian Godwit. If you go into Merlin at the following link & look at the juvenile in the second picture it looks like a pretty good match for your bird;

https://merlinbirds.org/species/hudgod

The white near the vent & chest match up well & the rest of the plumage doesn't look "distinctive" enough for a Marbled. Personally think the bill is to long for Willet too even for a female.

I have a question: even with the quality of the screenshot/photo, wouldn't the black tail be visible for a Hudsonian? Thanks!

Yes you’re right, should also have darker wingtips.

[Braxton L]

This is 100% a willet

[Kevin]

A little late to the party but yes, I agree with ikland, Willet.