Google is watching me, and you, and
everybody........................................................
Less than 5 minutes after posting the above, I decided I should have
Googled 'Runt Shorebird' before
posting. So,* ex post facto*, I did. Google had already picked up my post
as the #1 hit!
obol 'Runt' shorebirds - The Birding Lists Digest
<http://digest.sialia.com/?rm=message;id=1153017>
digest.sialia.com/?rm=message;id=1153017
<https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#>
-
<http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:aI1drVW-4uoJ:digest.sialia.com/%3Frm%3Dmessage%3Bid%3D1153017+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us>
4 mins ago - in discussion was a 'runt' whimbrel. I haven't seen much
discussion of 'runt'shorebirds, or any other type of bird runt. But it
seems I saw one ..
Now, that's a little scary.
But.........I was already scared.
Bob OBrien
On Mon, Mar 7, 2016 at 10:24 PM, Robert O'Brien <baro@xxxxxxx> wrote:
A few years ago on ID Frontiers (BIRDWOG01) there was posted a putative
Eskimo Curlew from Europe.
Some flight photos were shown and the bird was clearly, significantly
smaller than any of the accompanying whimbrel flock.
This would have been quite a sighting, but one possible explanation given
in discussion was a 'runt' whimbrel.
I haven't seen much discussion of 'runt' shorebirds, or any other type of
bird runt.
But it seems I saw one last week at Half Moon Bay, California.
This was a very small Marbled Godwit, feeding with, but not flocking
among, 'normal' sized ones.
It appeared to be smaller even than a Bar-tailed. After I had taken a
single comparison photo
(attached) it unfortunately flew off down the ocean beach by itself,
leaving the others on the shore.
Flight photos were consistent with Marbled Godwit.
The attached photo is not the best comparison in positions, but you can
see the size difference. It was really
striking, even to the distant, naked eye.
Anyone have experience with 'runt' shorebirds?
Marbled Godwit is stated not to show significant sexual dimorphism
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1675/063.036.0412?journalCode=cowa
nor have I ever seen any significant size variation in many, many flocks
of godwits.
Bob OBrien
Carver OR
PS Would the moderator please post this photo to the OBOL photo site?
Thanks
PPS Of course, one doesn't see many dwarf humans among many, many
'normal' sized ones either.
