[TN-Bird] Re: Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery
- From: kde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- To: Sharon Monett <sbm4him@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 10:57:04 -0400 (EDT)
A further note or two on the dowitcher... that should have been _sparse_
spotting on top and small chevrons below. Also, the bird is on high alert
which changes the posture and giss of the bird. Additional photos would
be useful here. Still, I think the bird looks pretty slender and not as
hunch-backed or "I just swallowed a grapefruit" as a LB. This is the ID
I'm least confident about, but I feel pretty good about it. Others may
disagree. For breeding plumaged dowitchers, sepearting hendersoni SB and
LB is the toughest ID... even more so than picking out the different
subspecies of SB. Juvenile dowitchers are easy. Winter-plumaged
dowitchers? Doable with good looks but... Ugh.
Also, I said barring for the Pec but should have probably said streaking.
Dean Edwards
Knoxville, TN
On Mon, 12 Aug 2013, kde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> 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.
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=================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. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
_____________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
endorse the views or opinions expressed
by the members of this discussion group.
Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Andy Jones
Cleveland, OH
-------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Dave Worley
Rosedale, VA
--------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan
Clemson, SC
__________________________________________________________
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ARCHIVES
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MAP RESOURCES
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Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com
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