This is a question related to the two Dowitchers.
I entirely agree that this is a Short-billed; flat back does it for me
(sorry Jim, in a shorebird, I'll go with structure over plumage any day!).
So my question is this: Doesn't range alone build a pretty strong case for
Short-billed over Long-billed here in Maryland? Or are Long-billed more
common on migration that I'm realizing? Of course I know that all birds
should be checked for anything rare, especially if a first impression
suggests something out of the ordinary, but I had heard something about some
Long-billed somewhere in Delaware and then saw this and it made me curious.
Thanks!
Mike H.
Baltimore City
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Jim Moore" <epiphenomenon9...>
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2012 7:02 PM
To: "Maryland Birding" <mdbirding...>
Subject: Re: [MDBirding] PG: Bladensburg Waterfront Park - Long-billed
Dowitcher
> 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/
>>
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