Jamaica Bay WR, Queens, NY. 9/29/2009.
Can you age and identify the three birds here?
Shorebird ID Quiz #3
Jamaica Bay WR, Queens, NY. 9/29/2009.
Can you age and identify the three birds here?
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By end of Sep. the adults should be much more advanced with the molt. These birds
all have large portion of the scapulars still neat and not molted.
On the OOF one also is not too difficult to see the pattern on the wings so:
All 3 are juv.
The OOF and larger one the yellow leg can be seen just a little bit, Yellowlegs.
The bill is thick at the base and long enough for it to be Greater Yellowlegs.
The two smaller ones are quite large Calidris, with long drooping bill, streaked breast,
black scapulars, white "eyebrow" and hint of rufous on the head at the bill base.
Juv. Dunlin. The problem is I'm trying to find a good reason why these are not juv. Stilt
(can't see the legs) and all I can say is scapulars are on the narrow side, bill is more Dunlin like
and most of all overall look of the birds.
How did I do?
Cheers,
I've never seen Stilt Sand but that was my first guess for the smaller birds. Bill and head looks wrong for Dunlin, and don't juvs have some blackish markings down the breast? Indirect reasoning would be that unless the ground was sloping up, any Dunlin would be floating...
Phil
Phil,
I would expect much finer streaking on the breast on a Stilt.
Here especially on the left bird there are few larger dark dots,
indicating Dunlin. Also the bill is too short for a Stilt I think.
The eye-brow though is quite prominent on the right bird, more Stilt than Dunlin like.
Good point about the sloping ground and floating Dunlin,
question for Artie, was this a beach with slope or flat terrain?
Your clues are what you seeKeep thinking....
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Another clue is the color of the coverts,
In juv. Dunlin they are gray, in juv. Stilt they are black/dark.
The bird on right has black coverts, I'm thinking Stilt at this point,
especially after Phil's comment relating to leg size.
Good job by both. The rear bird is indeed a juvenile Greater Yellowlegs molting to first winter plumage. The two front birds are young Stilt Sandpipers also molting to first winter.
Ilija, I would advise taking a more holistic approach to shorebird ID rather than looking at differences in individual feathers ("... scapulars are on the narrow side). In addition, if you know the species, Stilt Sandpiper with its sloping forehead--it almost seems that the bill is coming out of the top of the head--its much longer legs, and its more distinct eyeline is easily distinguished from Dunlin on jizz alone.
The dark smudge on the breast of the middle bird is mud.
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Artie,
Well done again.I love this quizzes. I was just wondering do you have/could you post an image with the front bird in more of a profile view? I'd just like to see what's happening on the side of this birds head.
Thanks,
Dave Brown
Artie,
Do you have another shot of the Greater 'legs..not that I'm second-guessing your solution, but I can't be sure from the image that it's not a moulting adult ...breast pattern looks a little randomly speckled - but it could just be your brilliant photo-technique of placing the back bird so out of focus that I can't tell!
best,
Julian
You could very well be correct. Thinking back, there were no juvies around that afternoon and very few birds at all.... I got fooled by what looked like a consistent pattern on the folded wings. It is good to have you around checking up on me!Originally Posted by Julian Hough
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Not of this bird. When I get on the office machine I will see what I have....
ps: Glad that you liked. Next time get here earlier so that you can play!
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
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Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
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Was that fun or what:)
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