some kind of piper in new jeresey (1 Viewer)

[piclady632]

some kind of piper in new jeresey with pics

found in forsythe refuge
sorry I thought the pics uploaded but I like your responses

 

[Jane Turner]

Look like Dunlin to me

 

[piclady632]

I thought so too, but these are white on the belly. what about curlew?

 

[Jane Turner]

Your birds are in winter plumage

http://dnr.metrokc.gov/Wlr/waterres/marine/photos/img/shorebirds/Dunlin.jpg

Curlew is a huge bird in comparison!

 

[Jane Turner]

http://www.rspbliverpool.org.uk/BUSY.jpg

Just for an idea of relative sizes there are Eurasian Curlew well out into the water on this photo. The birds packed in tightly on the water's edge are Knot, which are related to Dunlin, but are substantially bigger! There might just be a Dunlin walking in stage right. It amuses me since this photo appears to have been taken from my garden!

 

[piclady632]

Thank you!

 

[shishmarefbirder]

Adult Dunlin in non-breeding plumage do not have a black belly. Here is a picture of one I took in September before it flew south for the winter.

 

[Jim M.]

Your birds are in winter plumage

http://dnr.metrokc.gov/Wlr/waterres/marine/photos/img/shorebirds/Dunlin.jpg

Curlew is a huge bird in comparison!

Perhaps piclady meant Curlew Sandpiper, not an actual Curlew (which would be accidental in New Jersey and, I believe, even rarer than Curlew Sandpiper). A non-breeding plumage Curlew Sandpiper would look very similar to a Dunlin, as you European birders probably know better than we Americans. They would be easier to distinguish in flight, with a white rump. But given they would be quite rare for this area, and also unusual for this time of year, I would assume these must be Dunlin. My books mention longer legs and longer neck for Curlew Sandpiper, but not much else that is helpful with respect to non-breeding plumage. (Still waiting for my new shorebird book to arrive!). I see somewhat longer legs than I would expect on a typical Dunlin here, but certainly nothing definitive.

Jim

 

[goshawk227]

Dunlin for me!

 

[piclady632]

Thanks again! I'm still learning and your comments make sense. I see now that it's a dunlin

 

[Howard King]

As a comparison here are two pics taken early this morning showing a Dunlin with a turnstone and a piece of orange and a badly lit Dunlin in flight - hope they are of some use. DO Have better pictures but none quite as recent.

 

[macrourus]

different lenght of bill and legs due to different races