A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 shore bird?

My wife saw a strange bird at our pond yesterday, and I'm hoping Thornius or one of you can help ID. She said it was only three or four inches long, and had a beak nearly as long as its body. It was pulling at somethng in the mud. We've looked in Peterson's field guide, and have found nothing that small with that description. What type of shore bird or whatever would be found this far inland, and at this time of year? In central Oklahoma?

A good description of the coloration and markings might help. Shorebirds are the birds I am weakest at identifying as I've seen VERY few, but it could be some type of sandpiper, like a Solitary Sandpiper or Spotted Sandpiper. Also you might possibly have a Killdeer, a member of the plover family. All three of these birds can be found far inland, hundreds of miles from any major body of water. As a matter of fact the only place I've ever seen Solitary Sandpipers is at a small, ankle-deep water filled depression about 30 feet in diameter in the back lot of the main cemetery in our town. (Cemeteries are EXCELLENT places to go birdwatching!)
There is a class of tiny shorebirds comprising many different species, collectively called "Peeps" (birds, not the Easter marshmallow, sugar-coated, DELICIOUS treats, LOL). It could possibly be one of these species.

The bill was almost as long as the body. All of the birds we found in our guide were much too large, but she says it resembled the common snipe as much as anything...markings sort of like a downy woodpecker, sort of gray stripes or marks. total length 4 to 5 inches not including the bill. I think our problem is that the field guide doesn't cover this bird.

Try an American Woodcock!