[SBB] Alviso shorebird pix,

["Tom Grey" <[[email protected]]>]

Early this morning I checked the ditch alongside the road into the Alviso
EEC, and then the near end of the big pond beyond (can't recall the
numerals), and the wooden walkway, for closeup shorebirds etc.

I was walking out as the gate for entry road was being opened, at 9; the
SCVAS Board members were lined up to go in for their retreat. A very birdy
looking crowd!

The big pond had some distant PHALAROPE SP. beyond the island. (Bob Reiling
reports the flock in the Marsh as mixed between RN and Wilson's, I see.)
There were about a half-dozen BONAPARTE'S GULLS in non-breeding plumage on
the island in the big pond.

Anyway, back to the ditch along the entry road, which was where I got some
photos in the good early morning light. There was just one DOWITCHER in the
ditch; below are links to two pictures of it. I didn't hear it call. I give
my own (non-guaranteed!) visual ID at the bottom of this post. It does seem
to me that all the field marks point in one direction on this one, so this
might be a good one for those of you who fall with me into the inexpert
camp to try their eye on.
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/46611109
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/46611111

There were several LEAST SANDPIPERS in the ditch. Here is a picture of one
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/46611114

... and here's a picture of two facing each other, one of them having a bad
hair day
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/46611137

There was just one WESTERN SANDPIPER in the ditch when I was there --
appears to be a female from the scanty rufous markings
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/46611117



Ok, about that Dowitcher. I believe it is a Short-billed. The bill is not
of that exceptionally long variety that singles out some female
Long-billed, though of course many LB have bills the length of this one.
The other marks visible in the photos all tilt toward Short-billed: 1] As
the second picture shows better than the first, there is considerable white
rather than all red background area on the underparts. 2] There are spots,
not just bars, on the side of the breast. 3] As the first picture shows,
two primaries extend far enough beyond the tertials to create a dark tipped
look. 4] As the first picture shows, the barring on the tail has the white
bars wider than the dark ones. 5] The dark-light contrast in the scapulars
is relatively muted. 6] The back is relatively flat rather than hunched.
Six for six should do it, though I don't think any one of these marks is
diagnostic.  My bible here is Paulson, Shorebirds of North America.

Oh yes, I went on to the CCFS waterbird pond. Good quantity but poor
diversity, and no photography. Hundreds of stilts and avocets, and two
flocks of Dowitchers, looked like Long-billed at a superficial glance.I saw
Mike Mammoser going in as I drove out, so he will report the marvelous
rarities that I missed!

Tom Grey




_______________________________________________
Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored.
south-bay-birds mailing list      ([[email protected]])
Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription:
http://www.plaidworks.com/mailman/options/south-bay-birds/list_fred_archives%40plaidworks.org

This email sent to [[email protected]]