Amidst all the excitement of spring migratory birds arriving in the high canopies of Inwood Hill Park, it is sometimes easy to overlook the Salt Marsh. While walking along the marsh path on Tuesday, several vocal Baltimore Orioles in the nearby trees demanded attention. Following their movements, I glanced over to the sandy little island in the main inlet. A Spotted Sandpiper was bobbing its tail around a couple of much larger Canada Geese.
The Spotted Sandpiper, one of the most common and widespread sandpipers in North America, frequents the edges of bodies of water. The bird is also known to switch up gender roles. The females are dominant, often initiating the flirting behavior and mating with several males. The females leave the parenting to the males. The females typically initiate nest building but leave the males to finish them.
The Spotted Sandpiper at the Salt Marsh sported many dark spots on its belly and an orange bill, signaling a breeding adult. I couldn’t determine if this sole sandpiper was male or female. Females are larger. I hope more of them arrive so I can watch their dancing courting behavior and sort out the gender politics. Look for the bobbing of this “teeter-peep.” According to Cornell’s All About Birds website, “The function of the teetering motion typical of this species has not been determined.” (Source:Cornell Lab’s overview of the Spotted Sandpiper) I love the mysteries of birding.
Other Activity in the Salt Marsh area
An Osprey was observed on one of the Columbia University light towers. A pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds were flitting about the fields. A busy group of Baltimore Orioles flew between the trees and the marsh regeneration area. Birdwatchers have observed ornate, closely-woven Baltimore Oriole nests scattered about the park. I located one a couple of days ago at the edge of the park near an apartment building.
The Accidental Warbler Picture
A few sunny days with southerly winds brought many warblers through Inwood. On a couple of mornings, I couldn’t keep up with the flurry of activity. While photographing these small, active birds, I like to identify the birds first through my camera. From time to time, I will go ahead and take pictures, hoping to identify them later. I don’t recommend this practice, but sometimes, the result is a good one. I had been trying to find a Magnolia Warbler.
New Page on Artwork by Habitat and Type
Rain has arrived this morning and brought a ground stop to my birdwatching. While waiting for the skies to clear, I’m developing new features of this website. I’ve started sorting the bird drawings, so you may now find many of these on a new page arranged by habitat. See Artwork by Habitat and Type.
The relatively new Bird List page includes now a larger assortment of bird photos as well as a section on the most popular posts and pages from the week.
Cover: Spotted Sandpiper at the Salt Marsh. May 13, 2025. 8:30 a.m. See the May 2025 Sightings page for more birds in May.
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Birds of Inwood 
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