dowitchers

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: It's hard to tell what's spotted and what's not on the central bird due to the twisted posture, but any foreneck spotting or remnant breast barring could also indicate intermediacy in some sense between hendersoni and caurinus rather than Long-billed. Sibley states that there is population overlap and intergrades between the two western SB races. : I agree totally that judging worn/molting adult dowitchers by the pattern of markings on the underparts may be mission impossible, particularly in a photo like this, but I'd return again to the appearance of the remaining alternate scaps and tertials (and also apparently greater coverts) on these birds. As described, I suspect the strong, comparatively latitudinally straight and solid barring is diagnostic for Short-billed (and possibly for hendersoni, as caurinus seem to most typically have more Long-billed-like inwardly angled feather markings than is apparent on these birds). In fact, contra my previous statement I'm getting the impression that the difference in angle of barring between hendersoni and Long-billed is actually most extreme and easy to judge on the alternate tertials. : Looking at the central comparatively fresh bird, I'm wondering if the bright rufous background coloration on the upper breast and extending all the way up onto the lower face might not be better for hendersoni, at least at this time of year. Adult Long-billed can be bright on the underparts, but more typically seem to appear flatter and duller on the upper breast and entire face than this bird. I also get the impression that Long-billed's ocular stripe typically appears wider and longer behind the eye than is apparent on these birds, although both of these features might be variable or prone to wear and not of much use. : Dowitcher field guide illustrations seem to be sort of inconsistent and confusing, but for a nice photographic example of what seem to me to be consistent differences between alternate hendersoni and Long-billed (based on photo study), particularly the extreme difference in angle of tertial barring, check out the Audubon Master Guide. : Cheers, : Phil

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