Good points. I glossed over 1814 too quickly. Size would be a good clue in real life. Upper breast is more heavily streaked like a Pec but doesn't show as strong demarcation... maybe a female? Yellow bill base should have been the kicker... I missed that. Agreed. Adult Pectoral. Dean Edwards Knoxville, TN On Mon, 12 Aug 2013, Michael Todd wrote: > Dean/All, > > Thanks Dean for taking the time to give some detailed answers! I agree almost > totally: > > On the Dowitcher, I also think Short-billed on bill shape with downward kink > towards end, very pale coloration below blending to white, and the sparse but > pretty uniform spotting down down breastsides and flanks. Long-billed lose > the barring more readily than Short-billed, so that by August they usually > have markings heaviest at breast sides and very light to absent along flanks. > Better/additional looks would be nice on this bird though. > > 1814 I would call an adult Pectoral, with the long primary extension and > yellowish bill base. > > Good Birding!! > > Mike Todd > McKenzie, TN > birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > www.pbase.com/mctodd > > > > ________________________________ > From: "kde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <kde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: Sharon Monett <sbm4him@xxxxxxxxx> > Cc: Tennessee Birds <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Monday, August 12, 2013 9:25 AM > Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery > > > > See my notes below... > > Dean Edwards > Knoxville, TN > > > On Mon, 12 Aug 2013, Sharon Monett wrote: > > > 1574: Least sandpiper seems to be the consensus. > > Correct. Juvenile. Note the fresh plumage and the pattern of the > scapulars (the feathers just over the folded wing on the back)... black > center with rusty orange edges and white tips. These white tips on the > mantle (center part of the back) make two white lines that form a V. The > white tips are a key point to look for in Least SP, and I will come back > to that below. Also note the yellow legs which help distinguish Least > from other peeps... this can be a good point if seen but should not be an > end-all-be-all field mark... other peeps can rarely have yellowish legs or > legs covered in yellow-looking mud or Least can have legs covered in dark > mud, etc. Finally, note how the coverts (small feathers covering the > wings) and tertials (wing feathers covering the tail) are also dark > centered with rusty orange edges giving a uniform appearance to the back > (except for the white spots). Remember this for later. > > > 1675: Spotted, maybe winter plumage? > > Correct but a juvenile. > > > 1688: No guesses yet > > Spotted SP. Looks like a molting adult as there appears to be some > spotting underneath. These guys are IDable in flight from great distance > by their stiff-winged flight style. Here, note the white wing stripe and > all dark tail and rump. Also note the white eyering. > > > > 1713: One guess for semipalmated sandpiper, one guess for Least. > > Juvenile Least SP. Compare with 1574. yellow legs, scapular pattern, > etc. Coverts and tertials are more contrasty than in 1574 with buffy > edges instead of rusty orange but still good for a Least. > > > > 1746: Consensus is Dowitcher; no one so far ventured a guess as to whether > > it's short-billed or long-billed. > > I'm going to go with adult "hendersoni" Short-billed Dowitcher. Note the > worn state of the feathers clearly indicating an adult, still mostly in > breeding plumage. The orange wash to the underparts goes all the way to > the tail (eliminates "griseus" SB Dowitcher but not LB). The spotting up > top and small chevrons on the flanks (rather than heavy, long bars as for > LB) and the more slender overall shape (not the "I just swallowed a > grapefruit" look of a LB) points me to SB. > > > > 1758: Guesses have included Solitary or Yellowlegs. I was thinking Solitary > > originally. > > Juvenile Spotted SP. compare with 1675. Note the back is barred with > buffy edges to the fresh juvenile feathers, NOT spotted as in Solitary. > Also note the classic eye ring of a juvenile Spotted... Solitary have > spectacles with white loral strip (like it's wearing glasses). The > overall posture is classic Spotted SP. Note how the brown on the neck and > upper breast a) does not connect in the middle and b) makes a "thumb" that > sticks down in front of the wing surrounded by white. Finally, look at > the tail. First, it extends beyond the wingtips as in Spotted and unlike > Solitary. Second, it is brown. Solitary have a very distinctive tail > pattern... dark center, white edges with lateral dark stripes. From the > side on a standing bird, the white with black stripes is very evident. > > > > 1781: Spotted > > Correct. Adult in breeding plumage. > > > 1814: No guesses given > > Adult Least SP. Note the worn, tattered feathers ageing this as an adult > bird... not the bright, fresh plumage of the juveniles above. Legs are > yellow, scapulars and coverts have dark center and buffy edges. Overall > brown appearance with heavy coloration on the upper breast. > > > > 1853: Guesses included Least, Semipalmated and Western. So far, Western > > seems to be the consensus. > > Juvenile Least SP. Compare with above. First, note the fresh plumage so > this is a juvenile something. The yellow legs are not as obvious here so > focus on the scapulars, coverts, and tertials and compare with 1574. > Scapulars are dark centered with rusty orange edges and white tips. You > can see a bit of the V on the back. Coverts and tertials also have rusty > orange edging. Also note the heavily streaked upper breast. Western > should have more reddish color on the scapular edges without the white > tips and the coverts and tertials have cold, grey edges that contrast with > the scaps... not the uniform orangey look of a Least. > > > > 1858: Spotted > > Correct. Adult in breeding plumage. > > > 1969: Consensus is Pectoral > > Correct. Adult in breeding plumage. Note the heavy barred upper breast > that ends sharply. Also note the worn feather edges on the scapulars and > coverts that help age the bird. Can look similar to Least SP but much > larger. > > > > > > For the non-shore birds: > > 1984: Red-winged blackbirds. Maybe young? Maybe female? Maybe young > > females? I had previous pictures of female rwbs that didn't seem to look > > like this (but that was back in the spring, so different plumage, I guess?) > > so I'd never have guessed that's what these were. Several though > > meadowlark, which had been my initial thought until I realized the beak was > > all wrong. > > Juvenile RW Blackbirds. At least one looks like a male with red coming > in on sholder. > > > > > > 1987: Juvenile Starling. This was actually my initial thought because of > > the beak. But again, just last week, I was at Eagle Bend and saw a MUCH > > larger bird that looked TOTALLY different from this one that also turned > > out to be a juvenile starling, so that threw me. Interesting how quickly, > > and completely, their plumage can change. > > > > Correct. In heavy molt. Note the "stars" coming in on the chest. > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== > > The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with > first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. > You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds > you report were seen. 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