After consultation with one of the authors of a recently published guide to 
shorebirds as we looked at the flight photo of the plover in question, the 
conclusion is that it is, indeed, a European Golden Plover.

The location is in the harvested field on the west side of DE route 9 about 
halfway between the Leipsic River bridge and the entrance to Bombay Hook 
NWR, according to Chis Bennett's latest account on DEBirds.   He gives a more 
detailed plumage description than in his first post.

Paul O'Brien
Rockville, Mont. Co., MD

In a message dated 9/14/09 9:59:02 AM,  writes:


> Sorry, Norm, for this out of the area report but it's certainly a bird 
> that a lot of us would gladly twitch if proven!
>  
> Tyler Bell
> 
> California, Maryland
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Forwarded Message ----
> From: Bennett Chris (DNREC) <>
> To: 
> Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 9:20:04 AM
> Subject: [de-birds] Possible European Golden Plover
> 
> Andy Urquhart just called me from RT 9 at Wick's potato farm to tell me 
> that he is looking at a bird that looks good for European Golden Plover.  It 
> is loosely associating with two American Golden Plovers.  The field marks 
> he has noticed are:
> 
> Stockier than the AGPs
> Black on the breast is very narrow at the lower breast and then widens out 
> again on the belly.
> Bill appears shorter than the AGPs.
> Very little primary extension beyond the tail and from the Tertials.
> Underside of wings (corroborated by another couple on site) are white
> 
> I am going to try and get over there and take a look.  Anyone else that 
> can get to the area might want to take a shot as well.
> 
> Chris Bennett
> Natural Resource Management Specialist
> Environmental Stewardship Program
> Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation
> 89 Kings Highway
> Dover, DE 19901
> Phone: (302) 739-9230
> Fax: (302) 739-3817
> 
> "The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 
> 'What good is it?'"
> 
> Aldo Leopold  A Sand County Almanac
> 
> 
>