Western sandpipers are medium-sized 'peeps' that can be found in huge flocks in many wintering areas, chiefly coastal mudflats.   Most of the images on this page show such a flock, resting on a small sandbar during a very high spring tide at the Bolsa Chica wetlands in coastal Orange County, California.   They alternated between periods when most of the individuals were sleeping to fairly frantic running about.   If you look carefully, you can see scattered individuals of other species, such as dunlins.   Eventually the whole flock flew off.
       The birds in the other images were in San Diego.   Other images of western sandpipers can be found here.

• Canon 10D or 1D IV, 500 mm f4 IS lens plus 2X converter and electronic flash, or 800 mm IS lens, some with 1.4X extender (2004, 2010)