Greater Yellowlegs? (ID please)

[Paul Muhlrad]

I took some photos yesterday (Dec. 28, 2011) at a new location, for me, a tiny stretch of the Santa Cruz River in Tucson, AZ, that actually contains some water. I was on the wrong side of the river and wrong side of the sun, so my pictures aren't very good, but maybe I'll try again this morning in better light.

Could you help me ID this guy? I'm thinking Greater Yellowlegs, but possibly also a Dowitcher?



If this picture isn't helpful, I have a couple more at SmugMug (http://wormpicker.smugmug.com/Nature/River-Shorebirds/). These guys were hanging out in a very shallow, muddy part of the stream with Killdeers. Thanks.

Paul

[John Chardine]

Hi Paul- It looks like a Greater Yellowlegs so well done on the ID. Note the stout, slightly upturned bill. A dowitcher would have an overall different coloration and the bill is longer in relation to the head and straight.

[Paul Muhlrad]

Thanks, John!

Paul

[Dan Brown]

Hi Paul- It looks like a Greater Yellowlegs so well done on the ID. Note the stout, slightly upturned bill. A dowitcher would have an overall different coloration and the bill is longer in relation to the head and straight.

Hi Paul. John is right above, but the real indicator featured in your photo is the lack of the bold white stripe up the middle of the back, which both dowitchers would have.

[Paul Muhlrad]

Thanks, John. I just learned something. So, would these be (long-billed) dowitchers, then?



Apologies for the out of focus picture. I couldn't tell if the "stripes" on the back were real or just an artifact of the low lighting from behind. I had assumed that all of the "yellowlegs-like" birds we saw yesterday were the same, but maybe we did encounter some dowitchers, too?

Paul

[Dan Brown]

Looks like mostly Dowitchers, Paul. I can't tell if they are long-billed or short-billed but I see a Greater Yellowlegs on the left. You can see on some of these dowitchers, the white stripe up the back and on the yellowlegs, no white past the rump. And, the yellow legs!!

[Ian Cassell]

Paul,

If you want large collections of both Yellowlegs and Dowitchers, come up to the Gilbert Riparian Preserve just east of Phoenix.

http://riparianinstitute.org/birding.cfm

[P-A. Fortin]

This image reminded me of a bird I saw last year. I actually always believed it was a Solitary Sandpiper instead of a Greater Yellowlegs because I always thought the bill did not match the description of the latter (I do not see an upturned bill there) .

Your images got me to second-guess my call on this one.



[Why can't these birds fly around with ID cards just like everybody.]

[Dan Brown]

This image reminded me of a bird I saw last year. I actually always believed it was a Solitary Sandpiper instead of a Greater Yellowlegs because I always thought the bill did not match the description of the latter (I do not see an upturned bill there) .

Your images got me to second-guess my call on this one.



[Why can't these birds fly around with ID cards just like everybody.]

Greater Yellowlegs for sure here! The bill is way too long for solitary Sp or lesser Yellowlegs. And the legs are way too long and yellow for solitary also.

[Paul Muhlrad]

Looks like mostly Dowitchers, Paul.

Cool! Thanks again, Dan.

We've got a Solitary Sandpiper here who has become something of a local celebrity among the birding crowd. Someone told me he's reported to be the first documented Solitary Sandpiper to overwinter in Arizona (or maybe just in Tucson?). I've taken an embarrassingly large number of pictures of him, and I'll probably attempt a whole new set when my Better Beamer arrives on the UPS truck tomorrow.

Thanks everyone.

Paul