Phalaropus tricolor
August 1, 2011: Shollenberger Park, Sonoma County, CA
While walking around the retention ponds, I spotted a pair of these delicate, pretty birds swimming and wading in the shallow water very near the shore. This is the first time I’d seen this species, and since they were in fall plumage, the ID was a bit difficult at first. The eye stripe, neck coloration, and white rump helped give me the ID.
Let me know what you think!