ID-FRONTIERS for October 15-21, 2000

Messages are displayed in the order they were received.  Subject  From  Date   Time   Siberian Blue Robin in Spain: 2nd for the Western Palearctic   Ricard Gutierrez    Wed, 18 Oct 2000   4:03pm   Sibley Guide Comments   Jean Iron    Sat, 21 Oct 2000   5:47pm   Re: Sibley Guide Comments   Bob Abrams    Sat, 21 Oct 2000   8:25pm

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Subject: Siberian Blue Robin in Spain: 2nd for the Western
          Palearctic
From: Ricard Gutierrez <GUTARB(AT)TERRA.ES>
Date: 18 Oct 2000 4:03pm

A 1st year Siberian Blue Robin (Luscinia cyane) has been trapped and ringed
on 18.10.2000 at Canal Vell lagoon, Ebro Delta, Catalonia, NE Spain, Europe.
This is the sole 2nd Western Palearctic record of this Siberian migrant. A
dream for most WP birders. And only 9 of us have seen the bird. A brief
description (sorry for any ortographical mistakes) and three photos of this
interesting bird, in the hand, are already online at the Rare Birds in Spain
web site http://www.terra.es/personal3/gutarb .

Yours

Ricard Gutiérrez
19.10.2000


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Subject: Sibley Guide Comments
From: Jean Iron <jeaniron(AT)SYMPATICO.CA>
Date: 21 Oct 2000 5:47pm

After a thorough reading of this guide, it is evident that its principal
audience is new and intermediate birders. Experienced birders won't learn
much new ID information from this guide. It is an excellent teaching guide,
being the next step up from Peterson's or Kaufman's new guide. The shapes
of the birds are generally excellent. The six technical reviewers are all
Americans. Since Canada occupies more than half the geographical area
covered, it is unfortunate that one or two Canadians were not technical
reviewers of the manuscript. I am amazed at the number of errors and
omissions. Here is a small selection (not a full review) of my comments.

Subspecies (races): Interest in well marked subspecies is currently very
high among birders. In many cases, such the Short-billed Dowitcher, the
scientific names of the subspecies are well established and should have
been used.

Extinct Species (page 14): This not a critcism. I fully agree with David
that the Eskimo Curlew is extinct and has been for many years. Recent
reports are probably juvenile Whimbrels with short bills or vagrant Little
Curlews.

Molt and Plumage (page 22): The color illustrations and explanation showing
the "Molt Cycle of a Typical Passerine" are misleading. However, many
passerines (and many other birds) don't have first alternate and definitive
alternate plumages as shown. For these species lacking alternate plumages,
remove the third and fifth illustrations. These birds lacking alternate
plumages breed in what are labeled "first winter" and "adult nonbreeding
plumages" shown in the illustration! This confusion of terms clearly shows
why the Humphrey and Parkes terminology should be mastered by all serious
birders.

Red-throated Loon (23): The juvenile is illustrated with reddish on the
neck which is not mentioned in the text. Red-throated Loons in full juvenal
plumage never have red on the throat/neck. First summer birds usually
develop a more adult-like breeding plumage than is shown. Oddly, there is
no mention of the usually distinct uptilted bill of the Red-throated Loon.

Cory's Least Bittern (page 58): Text says "unrecorded since 1928." However,
there is a specimen from Brazil in 1967 reported in the Auk 102: 413, 1985.
There have been over a dozen sight records since the 1920s, mostly in
Ontario, by competent observers up to 1981. A Cory's that flew into a
window was photographed and later released in Ohio 1949. The Cory's photo
was confirmed by Roger Tory Peterson. The illustration on page 58 shows
Cory's with a white line on the outer scapulars and pale streaking on the
breast; both are lacking in Cory's. Cory's is overall a darker chestnut
than illustrated. Also, Cory's bill is mostly blackish brown, not mostly
yellow as in the illustration.

Accipiters (pages 112-113): The size scale is really off between the small
Sharp-shinned Hawks and much larger Northern Goshawk.

Solitary Sandpiper (page 171): The text line pointing to the juvenile's
back says "dark brown with small white spots." However, the fresh juvenile
of the western race cinnamomea has bright buff spots above, not white.
Adults in worn breeding plumage in August and September are almost
unspotted above contrasting with the spotted juveniles.

Dowitchers: (pages 190-191): Although stated that worn Longbills look like
Prairie (hendersoni) Shortbills, a worn Longbill in July/August should have
been illustrated because it is a much different looking bird than the fresh
spring Longbill illustrated. The Prairie Shortbill (hendersoni) does not
breed on the prairies; it breeds in the boreal muskegs and edge of the
tundra. Most hendersoni Shortbills in breeding plumage are less barred
(more spotted) on the sides/flanks than shown and most are a paler cinnamon
behind the legs, showing a slight contrast. Prairie (hendersoni) is more
common than Atlantic (nominate griseus) in Ontario and both subspecies are
common on the mid and south Altlantic coast.

Red Phalarope (page 195): Most juveniles do not have a pale base to the
bill as shown.

California Gull (page 215): This is the first guide to illustrate adults of
the two subspecies. The caption line pointing to the Northern Great Plains
(albertaensis) subspecies should say "lighter gray" not darker.

Heermann's Gull (227): The Heermann's Gull in Toronto on Lake Ontario (most
easterly record for North America) was fully documented in the literature,
but is not shown on the map. It was first reported on the 14 November 1999.
Also, it would have been impossible to correctly age the Toronto Heermann's
based on the illustrations.

Pileated Woodpecker (page 319): The adult female in flight is shown with
its wings raised vertically upwards. This species does not flap its wings
above the horizontal.

Loggerhead Shrike (341): The Loggerhead Shrike is not shown breeding in
central Ontario.

Bicknell's Thrush (page 408): Most Bicknell's breeding in Quebec are found
in Balsam Fir (not spruce) or mixed fir and deciduous on mountain tops.
Bicknell's breeds more westerly than shown on map (120 miles directly north
of Ottawa, Ontario). Several specimens from Kingston at the east end of
Lake Ontario indicate that Bicknell's is a regular migrant in eastern
Ontario, but is not shown on the map.

I hope that these comments and those of others will help with a revised
edition.

Ron Pittaway
Co-editor, Ontario Birds
Ontario Field Ornithologists
Box 619, Minden ON  K0M 2K0
E-mail: jeaniron(AT)sympatico.ca


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Subject: Re: Sibley Guide Comments
From: Bob Abrams <Icepeep(AT)AOL.COM>
Date: 21 Oct 2000 8:25pm

In a message dated 10/21/2000 20:48:09 Eastern Daylight Time,
jeaniron(AT)SYMPATICO.CA writes:

<< Pileated Woodpecker (page 319): The adult female in flight is shown with
 its wings raised vertically upwards. This species does not flap its wings
 above the horizontal. >>
The painting you mentioned is showing you the underwing. To the right of the
painting  is a flight profile and it shows the wings barely above the
horizontal, exactly as they appear in several of the flight photographs I
have taken of Piliated. And I am sure that the Goshawk, on it's own page, was
not drawn to scale with the Cooper's or Sharp-shinned Hawk. He mentions
several times in the text that it is a Buteo sized accipiter.
                                                Bob Abrams