ON the Wilson-What kinda Bird was it?

[letsfish]

Sorry I have no pics but prehaps my definition can help.
While drifting the Wilson Thursday we noticed a bird that did the bobbing thig like a water oozle. It was climbing at shoreline among the debris. It wasfine feathered, brownish on top with a white breast, very tiny eyes. Robin size or smaller. Reminded me of a sandpiper coloration but eyes and bobbing motion seemed off unique.

[Sublime]

Something along the lines of a Sandpiper, or if it was IN the water along the shoreline, and diving, etc, those are Dippers.

[Old Coot]

Was it really twitchy and do you have a bird book?

[Jennie@ifish]

They bend at the knees... Dippers! They have the most beautiful song!

[letsfish]

Not a dipper. Though somewhat similar in color to a non-breeding spotted sandpiper, the eyes where very small and dark(couldn't tell the color) not outlined in white as the spotted sandpiper's eyes. Smaller peak also. If you could recomend an online source please PM me. Thanks and will let you know if I get a good feeling as to what it is.

[GSD]

Whatbird.com is a good Bird ID site.

Based on the info you provided, I ended up with a list of 11 birds that it "might" be.

click here for that --> LIST.

Bill{GSD}

[Old Coot]

With the windy weather we have been having, there a several possibilites that wouldn't normally exist. High winds tend to move birds around and it takes a few days for them to get back to normal habitats.

Red-necked phalaropes tend to get blown ashore and inland. Their winter plumage tends more towards gray than brown, though. They tend to be really twitch or busy and have a farily pronounced eye patch.

There are often overwintering Ruddy Turnstones around Bay City, it would not be a stretch for one of them to get blown upriver. Ditto for Dunlins.

You didn't remark on an incredible bill, so I'm thinking it was not a snipe, willet, whimbrel or yellowlegs. If you figure it out, let us know.

If you are in need of a good bird book, The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America is a gem.

[letsfish]

Thank you for the great help!
I carefully studied GSD 's list(well done considering my description) The spotted sand piper is probably the bird. The Bird book I have Birds(of the Willamette Valley) by Nehls, Aversa, and Opperman has a picture of it non-breeding(page132-133) and this is the closest.
Thanks again for you help.

[GSD]

Here's a link to some additional pictures of the Spotted Sandpiper on another good bird ID site:
Spotted Sandpiper pics & info




Bill{GSD}