Greater Yellowlegs Sandpipers such as this one are regular visitors to Great Cove in the summer. They’re shy and, as they fly away, they curse in the foulest of bird language, judging from the raucousness of their expletives.
They do sometimes perform comedic routines, however: They’ll wade slowly up to their boney knees in the Cove; then, they’ll run erratically here and there after zipping fish; then, they’ll stop in consternation and bob their little heads repeatedly like a pump handle.
Can you guess which is larger, the Greater Yellowlegs or Lesser Yellowlegs Sandpiper? Okay, that was too easy. But, can you imagine the plain Yellowlegs Sandpiper that is greater than the Lesser and lesser than the Greater? Well, there are no plain Yellowlegs in this bird family – you’re born into it either Greater or Lesser. (Brooklin, Maine)