July dowitcher

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Posted by Michael O'Brien (63.113.155.153) on September 09, 2002 at 07:25:28:

I don't know caurinus well so I'm a little hesitant to comment extensively on this bird but, from what I can see, I would certainly vote for Short-billed Dowitcher. From my perspective, characters consistent with Short-billed but inconsistent with Long-billed include:
1) Sharp black spots on mostly white ground on the breast-sides and belly. The location of these spots and the fact that they are on a white ground is right for caurinus but wrong for Long-bill (I see these as obviously alternate feathers, being too dark, the wrong shape, and in the wrong place, for any basic plumage spots on either dowitcher species).
2) New basic scapulars and coverts that are uniform pale gray with prominent whitish fringes (darker overall, darker-centered, and with little or no pale fringe on typical Long-bill).
3) Pale fringe to retained alternate tertial (rarely pale-fringed on late July Long-bill).
4) Bill with relatively thick base, distinct downward kink, and relatively blunt tip (typically thinner-based, finer-tipped, and straighter or more gently curved in Long-bill).

Michael O'Brien
West Cape May, NJ

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: I don't know caurinus well so I'm a little hesitant to comment extensively on this bird but, from what I can see, I would certainly vote for Short-billed Dowitcher. From my perspective, characters consistent with Short-billed but inconsistent with Long-billed include: : 1) Sharp black spots on mostly white ground on the breast-sides and belly. The location of these spots and the fact that they are on a white ground is right for caurinus but wrong for Long-bill (I see these as obviously alternate feathers, being too dark, the wrong shape, and in the wrong place, for any basic plumage spots on either dowitcher species). : 2) New basic scapulars and coverts that are uniform pale gray with prominent whitish fringes (darker overall, darker-centered, and with little or no pale fringe on typical Long-bill). : 3) Pale fringe to retained alternate tertial (rarely pale-fringed on late July Long-bill). : 4) Bill with relatively thick base, distinct downward kink, and relatively blunt tip (typically thinner-based, finer-tipped, and straighter or more gently curved in Long-bill). : Michael O'Brien : West Cape May, NJ

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