Wader/Shorebird ID (1 Viewer)

Grousemore

Senior Member

• Mar 25, 2004

• #1

The attached pic was taken at Merritt Island,Florida today and I would be grateful for any ID pointers to compare with my opinion.

 

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B

Bluetail

Senior Moment

• Mar 25, 2004

• #2

From the short bill I thought it was actually going to be a tattler, but the underparts seem to rule that out. It's a dowitcher, but doesn't look nearly snipe-like enough for Long-billed, so I suppose it's got to be a Short-billed? Only an uneducated guess from the wrong side of the pond.

Jason

 

Katy Penland

Well-known member

• Mar 25, 2004

• #3

My uneducated guess would be a short-billed dowitcher, too. Wandering tattler is out since it doesn't occur on the east coast. Only problem I have with dowitcher is the color of the bill -- shouldn't it be more bi-colored than this if still in winter plumage? Only other bird that comes close is a lesser yellowlegs but I think its bill is much finer than this guy's, and we can't tell how long this bird's legs are. Sorry, Grousey, I'm no help at all, and I'm from... another pond altogether!

 

V

very boring banned member

New member

• Mar 25, 2004

• #4

A third agreement from third coast: Limnodromus griseus. First appears much like Heteroscelus, but too pale belly.

 

CJW

Hit-and-run WUM

• Mar 25, 2004

• #5

Karwin said:

A third agreement from third coast: Limnodromus griseus.

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And a fourth from the fourth!

 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening

Supporter

• Mar 25, 2004

• #6

I maybe talking nonsense (not the first time) but I thought this looked like a Stilt Sandpiper. Is that bill really long enough for a Dowitcher? It's only slightly longer than the head. Might be a little bit straight for a Stilt but it surely is more like a Stilt than a Dowitcher.

 

Charles Harper

Régisseur

• Mar 25, 2004

• #7

Bill`s too substantial for those things. How big is it, grousemore? How about Knot, if they`re not just Willets...

 

CJW

Hit-and-run WUM

• Mar 25, 2004

• #8

Hmm, I see what you mean Andrew.

 

M

mountain man

Guest

• Mar 25, 2004

• #9

Before reading anybody elses posts, I thought straight away that it was a Stilt Sand.

 

Jasonbirder

Jason-occasional-twitcher

• Mar 25, 2004

• #10

Is the tip of the bill underwater making it look shorter than it really is?

 

V

very boring banned member

New member

• Mar 25, 2004

• #11

No it isn't.

 

M

mountain man

Guest

• Mar 25, 2004

• #12

If you look very carefully, the bill is open just a tiny bit, but enough to make it look a lot more thicker than it probably is.

I'm still with Stilt Sand.

 

CJW

Hit-and-run WUM

• Mar 25, 2004

• #13

Am I allowed to change my mind? I also think it's a Stilt Sandpiper now.
That'll teach me not to jump to snap judgements!

Chris

 

V

very boring banned member

New member

• Mar 25, 2004

• #14

Can me also jump there? There is something in the bill that do not fit into Limnodromus' face.

 

B

Bluetail

Senior Moment

• Mar 25, 2004

• #15

Darn - I never even thought of Stilt Sand. Just shows how dangerous preconceptions can be.

Jason

 

Charles Harper

Régisseur

• Mar 25, 2004

• #16

I thought Stilt Sandpiper`s bill was downcurved.

 

V

very boring banned member

New member

• Mar 25, 2004

• #17

Bluetail said:

Darn - I never even thought of Stilt Sand. Just shows how dangerous preconceptions can be.

Jason

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I would not say they're dangerous. Preconceptions are based on experience. -Now we are just waiting for the yankees to wake up & tell what this wader is :bounce:

 

F

fbeeldens

Well-known member

• Mar 25, 2004

• #18

I agree with Charles. Don't think it's a stilt sandpiper, but a dowitcher. Stilt sandpipers indeed have clearly downcurved bills (I did have to double check some photographic evidence though), and the birds in the picture have very straight bills. given that the bill does look very short on these ones i would wager short billed dowitcher.

 

M

mountain man

Guest

• Mar 25, 2004

• #19

Surely a Dowitcher would have a considerably longer, greenish bill and look fatter.

I'm still firmly with Stilt Sand.

Either that or a dodgy Greenshank.

 

F

fbeeldens

Well-known member

• Mar 25, 2004

• #20

tom mckinney said:

Surely a Dowitcher would have a considerably longer, greenish bill

There's a lot of variation in the bill length of dowitchers, but I agree that it looks VERY (too?) short on the front bird. You are right about the bill color, looks black and not greenish. i checked some more photographs on Stilt sandpiper, and the downcurve of the bill isn't always that distinct ,depending on the angle the bird was photographed, and someone did note that the bill is slightly open.

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