Andy,
Given that you were able to compare the bird's size to that of a known
species (Snipe) and found it smaller would seem to rule out Dowitcher;
however, Sibley lists the Stilt and the Dunlin as being the same size, so
that criterion cannot be used to distinguish between the two.
I did not notice the body aspect while feeding that you mentioned, only
the "sewing machine" motion. This isn't to say it did not exist as you
report, just that it escaped my notice.
You also mention that, "I was expecting a bird with a prominent "eyebrow"
and a noticeable scalloped pattern on it's back."
The suggestion that I referred to receiving off-list in my earlier post
cited the lack of supercilium, but Sibley does not show that much
difference between the appearance of the non-breeding version of the two
birds. On the other had, the pictures in the Audubon field guide do show
a pronounced difference and their picture of the Dunlin in winter plumage
does look much more like what we saw.
I hope some other witnesses can chime in with their observations, but I
now am inclined to follow your analysis. Thanks for adding the additional
information.
Cliff Otto
Alexandria
Date: Sun, 9 Nov 2003 17:37:44 -0500
Hi Cliff,
First, I want to make clear that I, too, am far from being
an expert regarding these shorebirds. I have yet to see a
Stilt Sandpiper, have seen only a few Dunlin, all in
breeding plumage, and have seen few dowitchers as well.
Having said that, and having just looked at the photo you
posted yesterday, I can say that your photo looks exactly
like the bird that I and others saw today (I had started to
download the image yesterday but it was taking too long and
I was tired, so I didn't look at it.). The notes I took
match your photo as well, so I'd be willing to bet we both
saw the same individual bird.
My observation today differed from yours in that I never did
see the bird's legs. However, I did note two other things.
First, it was in the company of 3 snipe, so a size
comparison was possible. The bird in question was slightly
smaller than the snipe. Second, when it was feeding, I
noticed that it held it's body level, as opposed to tilting
it's tail upward (as the Stilt Sandpiper is depicted in the
Sibley guide).
The possibility of it being a dowitcher was brought up today
as well. According to my field guides, though, a dowitcher
would have been at least as big as the snipe, maybe bigger,
and would have had a lighter colored bill, a prominent
"eyebrow" and some other differences in plumage.
I tried really, really hard to turn this bird into my life
Stilt Sandpiper, but just couldn't do it with any certainty.
Based on what I had read last night when I was reading up on
the Stilt, I was expecting a bird with a prominent "eyebrow"
and a noticeable scalloped pattern on it's back. I planned
to withold ID'ing the bird until I could get home and
compare my notes with my field guides. Fortunately, a nice
guy with a nice scope showed up and confidently ID'd it as a
Dunlin. When I came home and consulted my guides, I believed
him to be correct (I believed him when he ID'd it too(!),
but I always like to check things out myself). I think the
photo fits Dunlin as well, now that I've had time to study
it.
So, I think we both came close to seeing a Stilt Sandpiper,
but will have to "settle" for a Dunlin.
Of course, if anyone with more expertise wants to tell me
this is a Stilt (and make a good case for it), I'd be happy
to check it off my list....
Still Stiltless,
Andy Rabin Reston, VA andyrabin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
----- Original Message -----From: "Cliff Otto"
<317tcw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent:
Sunday, November 09, 2003 3:12 PM Subject: [va-bird] Re:
Fairfax/Arlington County birds - 11/9
Andy Rabin wrote on Sun, 9 Nov 2003 14:14:49 -0500:
The last stop of the morning was at Huntley Meadows in
search of the Stilt Sandpiper reported yesterday. Strike
two!
I was asked off-list whether the bird I reported as a Stilt
Sandpiper might not have been a Dunlin instead. There were
*many* birders who observed this bird through binoculars and
spotting scopes and the argument centered around whether the
bird was a stilt or a dowitcher.
Before I saw the bird, I heard its feeding action described
as "sewing machine"-like, and when I actually saw it, I
thought it a most accurate description. I think this was the
primary reason no one thought of calling it a Dunlin. It was
the consensus that the droop at the end of the bill was the
telling point between stilt and dowitcher. Also, one person
clsims to have seen a part of its leg and that it was
yellow.
The question is whether your Dunlin was actually the Stilt
Sandpiper, or whether our Stilt Sandpiper was actually a
Dunlin, or whether we each saw the bird we identified. I
certainly am not presenting myself as any authority on the
identification of birds and am willing to bow to superior
knowledge for the sake of accuracy.
Cliff Otto Alexandria, VA
