Hi Art,
It's a Short-billed Dowitcher. Looks like a juvenile based on the
fresh plumage--so note the bold internal markings on the tertials,
which juvenile LB Dow lacks. Also note the lack of a hump-backed
appearance when feeding--LB Dow gives the appearance of having
"swallowed a grapefruit." Can't see the entire bill in these photos,
so can't judge length, but bill length is only useful at the extremes
since both species of dowitcher show sexual dimorphism in bill length.
Jim Moore
Rockville, MD
On Wed, Aug 8, 2012 at 6:51 PM, Art Drauglis <lwsyrup...> wrote:
> I was able to spend a few minutes at Bladensburg Waterfront Park this morning about an hour after low tide. There were two Great Egrets, a species I rarely see at that location.
> What was truly unexpected was the presence of a single dowitcher plugging away as close to the park as it could get while staying on the mud.
> The bill length made me think that this is a Long-billed, but I would like some input on my ID
> Something spooked it and the nearby peeps; when I looked away for a second it was gone (so I did not get to hear the flight call)
> Pictures here
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/artdrauglis/7742896676/
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/artdrauglis/7742895430/
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/artdrauglis/7742897542/
>
> --
> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Maryland & DC Birding group.
> To change email options, visit this group on the web at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/mdbirding?hl=en
> Posts can be sent to the group by sending an email to <mdbirding...>
> Guidelines for posting are available at https://sites.google.com/site/mdbirdinghost/f/guidelines.pdf
>
>
--
|