[Length 9 in. Wingspan 17 in.]

This Marsh Sandpiper was photographed at one of the many fish ponds, Dongtai, Jiangsu, China. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens on a Nikon 1 V3 camera. (Date: May 10, 2017)

[Length 8.75 in. Wingspan 18 in.]

This Pectoral Sandpiper was photographed at the La Feria Sod Farm, La Feria, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens + Nikkor TC20E III 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D7000 camera. (Date: May 16, 2011)

[Length 8.75 in. Wingspan 18 in.]

This Pectoral Sandpiper was photographed at the Cayo del Grullo region, Riviera, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: May 4, 2015)

[Length 8.75 in. Wingspan 18 in.]

This Pectoral Sandpiper in breeding plumage was photographed at the Lake Hood seaplane marina in Anchorage, Alaska, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: May 1984)

[Length 8.75 in. Wingspan 18 in.]

This Pectoral Sandpiper in breeding plumage was photographed at the Lake Hood seaplane marina in Anchorage, Alaska, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: May 1984)

[Length 8.75 in. Wingspan 18 in.]

This Pectoral Sandpiper was photographed during fall migration at the Cape May Meadows in Cape May, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: September 1991)

[Length 8.75 in. Wingspan 18 in.]

This Pectoral Sandpiper springing into flight was photographed at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Soligor 300mm f5.6 lens on Ektachrome 200 film. (Date: September 1978)

[Length 8.75 in. Wingspan 18 in.]

This Pectoral Sandpiper was photographed during fall migration at the Cape May Meadows in Cape May, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: September 1991)

[Length 9 in. Wingspan 17 in.]

Purple Sandpipers get their name from the iridescent purple sheen of their back feathers in winter plumage. This is an example of naming a bird for a "field mark" that was observed with the bird "in the hand". Normally, this can only be seen under perfect light conditions and at very close range, which was the case when this bird was photographed. This Purple Sandpiper was photographed at Barnegat Light, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor EDAF 300 f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: December 2000)