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Dowitchers ID (1 Viewer)

Grousemore

Senior Member
Knowing it can be difficult to separate winter short/long-billed dowitchers,I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on the 2 attached pics?
Taken in Central Florida 3 days ago.
 

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gut instinct ProSB (second pic) - are they same bird?

breast maybe not dusky enough for LB, not much contrast between breat and white of belly, the flank barring doesn't appear to contrast too much either

the bill appears short for 'typical' LB though this is admittedly of no real use and could even be foreshortened a little in the pic
 
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Thanks,Tim;they are 2 different birds from a mixed group of LB and SB (I heard the distinct calls of both,but do not know whether either of these were calling.
 
cheers grousey

ok, for pic one LB!
seems to be a contrast btw between duskier breast and belly on this one and flank barring is more prominent at rear of flank.

er....I think!
 
I feel the bird near the Willet in the second picture is probably a Short-billed, like Tim, just sort of a gut feeling! Photo #1 one I feel could be either one!
 
Thanks Larry/Tim,it largely ties up with my thoughts,in that no.2 was a fairly certain SB and no.1 was more difficult.The Guides seem to agree that call is the only certain way to differentiate in Winter.
 
Charles, I thought tertials were only useful for seperating juvs? Calling upon my vast experience of winter plumage dowitchers ;) I'd go for both of these as Short-billed.
 
Charles Harper said:
I thought they were young birds, especially the left one, because of the (fading) mantle pattern.
Thanks,Charles,but I note that the books I have refer to Juvenile plumage from Jul-Nov,or Aug to Oct.Not sure how that affects 'young' birds in January,when I took these.
I've found another pic of Bird 1:
 

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Me neither, G'more; but there is some of the same slight mantle pattern on Thing One in second set of photos, isn't there? Anyway, on second pic of Thing One, I agree with Tim, Long-billed Dowitcher: even, unblotched grey upper breast. And ditto on 2nd pic of Thing Two, unblotched though seemingly uncontrasted with lower breast.

There's gotta be some way to tell these damned things apart.....
 
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