Discussion seems to have run its course. I'm reasonably satisfied now that all of these are Long-billeds, based on some additional research and good feedback I've received from various respected sources. John Idzikowski chimed in with Long-billed for all three, as did Kevin Karlson, co-author of The Shorebird Guide. For anyone still interested, Kevin's comments are in the caption of the photo at http://www.pbase.com/rbrady/image/143076479 I put John's comments in the caption of the photo at http://www.pbase.com/rbrady/image/143076480 Thanks to all for the learning experience. I'll be much better equipped the next time I see some dowitchers! Ryan Brady Washburn, Bayfield County, WI http://www.pbase.com/rbrady > From: ryanbrady10@xxxxxxxxxxx > To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: RE: [wisb] Re: Dowitcher ID - what do you think? > Date: Fri, 4 May 2012 10:09:42 -0600 > > > While finality is always nice, I'm somewhat happy that in the three forums > I've posted this to (here, wisbirdn facebook group, and facebook ID group) > disagreement/confusion reigns as well. So Nick, Sam, and I weren't missing > the boat. In addition to what you've read here on wisbirdn, a couple folks I > also highly respect have weighed in on Facebook with differing opinion that > all 3 birds are Long-billeds. Most notably comes the following from Alvaro > Jaramillo, who some of you know: > > "Hi folks. All three look like Long-billed Dowitchers to me. They are not > fully molted in on the underparts, making them tougher. Flank pattern of > rusty, black bar and white tip with no rufous between the black or white is > very good. Black centered scapulars with white fringes that constrict at > rachis, so that with a little wear they will look like two separate white > spots on each feather is good. Extent of rusty below all good, lack of single > spots anywhere on reddish belly is against Short-billed. The shorter billed > one is a male. The hendersoni are also more orange below, less brick, and > have more gold tones on the upperparts in spring." > > Thanks for the discussion so far, looking forward to more informed input. > > > Ryan Brady > Washburn, Bayfield County, WI > http://www.pbase.com/rbrady > > > > > From: stevethiessen@xxxxxxxxxxx > > To: ryanbrady10@xxxxxxxxxxx; wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > Subject: [wisb] Re: Dowitcher ID - what do you think? > > Date: Fri, 4 May 2012 01:49:03 -0500 > > > > > > > > On pic 58, A bird's throat doesn't appear clear. I'd say A and C LB's and B > > not sure. It has more rust edged scapulars with out white, but still seems > > to have a lot of white, brighter on some pics. Regular texts don't solve > > some problems. Online photos don't always help either and are miss labeled. > > I was looking yesterday, because we had the same problem Wednesday. There > > was a photo where the person was making a point that the SB's bill is quite > > long and had a LB in the photo. Steve Thiessen Stoughton Dane co. > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Ryan Brady" <ryanbrady10@xxxxxxxxxxx> > > To: <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2012 8:45 PM > > Subject: [wisb] Dowitcher ID - what do you think? > > > > > >> > >> Short version...what species are represented by these dowitchers seen in > >> Ashland yesterday? > >> > >> http://www.pbase.com/rbrady/dowitcherid > >> http://www.pbase.com/nanich/dowitchers > >> > >> > >> Longer version... Sam Krerowicz found three dowitchers just west of > >> Ashland yesterday and then Nick Anich and I headed out to take a look > >> after work. We didn't have much time and expected Short-billeds, even > >> though it's slightly earlier (by about a week) than we usually see them. > >> We walked up and tried turning them into Long-billeds. We thought we might > >> have 1 LB and 2 SBs at one point and then convinced ourselves they were > >> all just the expected SBs as LBs are quite rare here. We soon left to > >> return to our fatherly duties but later last night that ID didn't sit well > >> with us. After some chatting Nick and I started to convince ourselves that > >> Bird C had to be a LB. Then we were leaning toward all 3 being LBs. Then > >> we were just downright confused. And here we are...confused. This is a > >> tough ID and one Nick and I frankly are not comfortable with. We butchered > >> the whole process as we could've had killer photos of the birds in perfect > >> light but our hurriedness resulted in mostly poo > >> r digiscopes and heavily cropped dSLR shots, which are in the two > >> galleries above. > >> > >> What do you think? I've labeled the individuals in my gallery for ease of > >> referencing Birds A, B, and C during discussion. > >> > >> > >> > >> Ryan Brady > >> Washburn, Bayfield County, WI > >> http://www.pbase.com/rbrady #################### > >> You received this email because you are subscribed to the Wisconsin > >> Birding Network (Wisbirdn). > >> To UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: > >> //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn > >> To set DIGEST or VACATION modes, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: > >> //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn > >> Visit Wisbirdn ARCHIVES at: //www.freelists.org/archives/wisbirdn > >> > >> > > > > #################### > > You received this email because you are subscribed to the Wisconsin Birding > > Network (Wisbirdn). > > To UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: > > //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn > > To set DIGEST or VACATION modes, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: > > //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn > > Visit Wisbirdn ARCHIVES at: //www.freelists.org/archives/wisbirdn > > > > #################### You received this email because you are subscribed to the Wisconsin Birding Network (Wisbirdn). 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