Spotted sandpiper?

[P-A. Fortin]

Spotted (no pun intended) at Santee Lakes, CA, early december.

I'm pretty confident about my ID, but the only illustration I have of a Spotted Sandpiper (Sibley) does not have any "spots" at the rear at this time of the year. Hence my doubts. [Combined to the fact that I could not tell a Sandpiper from an elephant...]

[John Chardine]

P.-A.- you got the ID, no problem. Note the dumpy appearance, shortish, yellow legs, prominent dark line line through eye. I'm not sure about the spots either.

[P-A. Fortin]

P-A 1, Elephant 0

Glad that I got this one right even with the confusing spots. Thanks for adding pointers to characteristics to look for.