Posted by Matthew Kenne (209.163.4.183) on December 09, 2000 at 07:15:20:
In Reply to: December posted by Phil Pickering on December 08, 2000 at 21:35:27:
: I'd say juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs, based on the close bill and head length, lack of defined streaking on the breast, and all-dark bill. The lighting is great here, and a (typical) Greater should look at least a little paler at the bill base.
It must be a "monitor" thing. On my screen, I do see the greenish-gray base contrasting with the black outer portion of the bill as I'd expect to see on a Greater. The rule-of-thumb I use on bill length is: if the bill direction was reversed on a Lesser, the bill tip would reach the back of the head behind the eye. On a Greater, as I think this bird is, the reversed bill would punch through the back of the head. Somewhere in the back of my head, I remember once hearing somebody use the nostril on Yellowlegs as a separating point, but I can't remember how (location? size?). That's one large nostril on this bird, though! Or maybe I'm just confusing this with Tattlers...