Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularis)

The Spotted Sandpiper is a common sight at the Pacific coast during the migration period, from August when they are going south, through April when they are returning to the north to spend the summer and raise their chicks. This species has a strange behavior, which helps to identify them very easily: They teeter their tails up and down continuously, as they forage in shallow waters. Even when they are not walking, they continue to display this movement.