Sanderling Plan - Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network

British Columbia, Canada: Sanderlings occur in moderate numbers in British Columbia, and
several sites report hundreds to low thousands of Sanderlings during migration: McIntyre Beach
and Rose Spit (Queen Charlotte Islands) report 1,300 (in 1985) to 2,000 (in 1977) during
migration (Campbell et al. 1990). Long Beach, BC has reported hundreds of Sanderlings during
fall migration, with high counts of 500 (September 1982) and 600 (September 1985) (Paulson
1993).
Washington, USA - beaches on southern coast: These beaches support thousands of
Sanderlings during spring and fall migration (Buchanan 1988, Evenson and Buchanan 1997).
Spring migration: Southern Washington beaches represent an important staging area during
spring; combined with Oregon beaches, more than 28,800 Sanderlings were recorded in this
region during spring 1983 (Myers et al. 1984b), with densities reported as 185 Sanderling/km.
Leadbetter Point, spring peak numbers exceed 1,000 (ISS data). Olympic-North Beach: a high
count of >7,100 Sanderlings in late April/early May 1983 (Myers et al. 1984b). Grayland Beach:
approximately 2,400 during late April/early May 1983 (Myers et al. 1984b). Longbeach: > 3,800
Sanderlings were counted here in spring 1983 (Myers et al. 1984b). Fall migration: Longbeach
Peninsula is an important staging area and has supported thousands of Sanderlings each fall, such
as 213.5 Sanderlings/km (7,900 total birds) on 30 August, 1993 (Buchanan and Evenson 1997,
J. Buchanan, unpubl. data). Leadbetter Point fall peak numbers exceeded 5,000 during fall
(1970s, ISS data), and 4,000 for two weeks in September and October 1978 (see Paulson 1993);
Copalis/Ocean Shores fall counts included 1,000 birds in 1979 (Paulson 1993) and >1,000 in the
1990s (ISS data) (Myers et al. 1984b).
Oregon - north coast sandy beaches: Oregon’s sandy beaches represent a major staging area on
the North American Pacific Coast (Myers et al. 1984a, 1984b); combined with Washington
beaches, more than 28,800 Sanderlings were recorded in this region during spring 1983 (Myers
et al. 1984b). Spring migration: High counts include the following: South jetty of Columbia
River: 30,000 in 4.8 kilometers of beach in May 1978 (Paulson 1993); Clatsop Beach:
approximately 12,000 Sanderlings (472/km) were reported here in late April/early May in 1983
(Myers et al. 1984b); Sunset Beach: 20,000 in May 1977 (Paulson 1993); Oregon Dunes
National Recreation Area supported at least 5,000 Sanderlings in exceptionally high densities
(117 to 158 birds/km) during late April/early May 1983 (Myers et al. 1984b). Fall migration:
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