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ID-FRONTIERS for October 24-31, 2004
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Messages are displayed in the order they were received.
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| Subject | From | Date | Time |
| owl eye shine | Jeff Davis | Mon, 25 Oct 2004 | 10:12am |
| European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario | Jean Iron | Mon, 25 Oct 2004 | 5:44pm |
| Re: European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario | Julian Hough | Mon, 25 Oct 2004 | 6:16pm |
| Re: European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario | Phillip Pickering | Mon, 25 Oct 2004 | 6:28pm |
| Re: European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario | Bruce Mactavish | Mon, 25 Oct 2004 | 7:52pm |
| Re: European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario | Martin Reid | Tue, 26 Oct 2004 | 7:29am |
| Mystery bird in Minnesota | David A. Cahlander | Tue, 26 Oct 2004 | 6:24pm |
| Re: Mystery bird in Minnesota | Hugh McGuinness | Tue, 26 Oct 2004 | 6:48pm |
| Re: Mystery bird in Minnesota | Allen Chartier | Tue, 26 Oct 2004 | 7:17pm |
| Re: Mystery bird in Minnesota | Christopher T. Tessa | Tue, 26 Oct 2004 | 7:47pm |
| 1w male A.discors/cyanoptera | =?iso-8859-1?Q?Ricar | Wed, 27 Oct 2004 | 11:57am |
| Spanish Teal i.d. | Ian Mclaren | Thu, 28 Oct 2004 | 5:39am |
| Cackling (hutchinsii) vs Canada (parvipes) | Ross Silcock | Thu, 28 Oct 2004 | 7:40pm |
| Fw: Cackling (hutchinsii) vs Canada (parvipes) | Ross Silcock | Thu, 28 Oct 2004 | 7:58pm |
| pdf of David and Gosselin | =?iso-8859-1?Q?Pierr | Fri, 29 Oct 2004 | 4:20am |
| Thrush ID | SGMlod(AT)AOL.COM | Fri, 29 Oct 2004 | 7:45pm |
| Gray-tailed vs. Wandering Tattlers | Brian Fitch | Sun, 31 Oct 2004 | 6:51pm |
|
To use email addresses replace '(AT)' with '@'.
This is done to confuse the spam 'bots.
|
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: owl eye shine
From: Jeff Davis <jndavis(AT)NETPTC.NET>
Date: 25 Oct 2004 10:12am
Hi, birders --
Is it possible to distinguish the Spotted Owl from the Western Screech-Owl
and Northern Saw-whet Owl on the basis of color and intensity of eye shine?
I haven't kept notes on this phenomenon, nor have I seen the differences
between North American owls described completely.
Thanks,
Jeff Davis
Prather, Fresno County, CA
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario
From: Jean Iron <jeaniron(AT)SYMPATICO.CA>
Date: 25 Oct 2004 5:44pm
The gull season opens. We saw and photographed a juvenile Herring Gull on
23 October 2004 at Hamilton on Lake Ontario. It has features of a European
Herring Gull (agentatus or argenteus). Also, we haven't eliminated the
possibility of a Vega Herring Gull (vegae). We are interested in the
opinions of those who know the variation in American Herring, European
Herring, and Vega Herring Gulls. See four photos at
http://www3.sympatico.ca/jeaniron/HerringG.htm
Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway
Jean Iron
http://www3.sympatico.ca/jeaniron/
9 Lichen Place
Toronto ON M3A 1X3
416-445-9297
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario
From: Julian Hough <jrhough1(AT)SNET.NET>
Date: 25 Oct 2004 6:16pm
Jean & Ron,
I agree the overall paler look to the wing feathers, giving a more
"chequered" look, more extensive pale notching on the tertials and paler
rump lend it a different look than the typical dark, "milk-chocolate" birds
we all see and love (mainly 'cos we can identify them with at least a
smidgin of certainty!)
I think this is a juv. smithsonianus, based on the overall ground colour to
the head and underparts, the smooth, relatively uniformly-coloured flanks
(probably a good feature for smithsonianus vs argenteus ??) and tail pattern
(which appears mostly blackish).
Given the date and location I would expect that this would be the most
likely id. I don't think vegae would need to be considered given the
appearance suggests a smithsonianus. I am not familiar with juv. vegae.
Here in CT we have had a few winters where we have seen variations in juv.
smithsonianus - ad infinitum.
Basically, we figured it's one of the most individually variable
species/sub-species on the planet!!
Smithsonianus variability should be synonymous with the word headache!
Hope this is useful.
Julian Hough,
CT, USA
jrhough1(AT)snet.net
www.naturescapeimages.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jean Iron" <jeaniron(AT)SYMPATICO.CA>
To: <BIRDWG01(AT)LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2004 8:44 PM
Subject: [BIRDWG01] European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario
> The gull season opens. We saw and photographed a juvenile Herring Gull on
> 23 October 2004 at Hamilton on Lake Ontario. It has features of a European
> Herring Gull (agentatus or argenteus). Also, we haven't eliminated the
> possibility of a Vega Herring Gull (vegae). We are interested in the
> opinions of those who know the variation in American Herring, European
> Herring, and Vega Herring Gulls. See four photos at
> http://www3.sympatico.ca/jeaniron/HerringG.htm
>
> Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway
>
> Jean Iron
> http://www3.sympatico.ca/jeaniron/
> 9 Lichen Place
> Toronto ON M3A 1X3
> 416-445-9297
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario
From: Phillip Pickering <philliplc(AT)HARBORSIDE.COM>
Date: 25 Oct 2004 6:28pm
This is solidly within the range of variation at least for
paler "west coast" smithsonianus.
Cheers,
Phil Pickering
Lincoln City, Oregon
philliplc(AT)harborside.com
> http://www3.sympatico.ca/jeaniron/HerringG.htm
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario
From: Bruce Mactavish <bruce.mactavish1(AT)NF.SYMPATICO.CA>
Date: 25 Oct 2004 7:52pm
There is plenty of variation in both North American Herring Gull
(smithsonianus) and European Herring Gulls (argentatus and argenteus).
There is enough overlap of characteristics that some individuals are
difficult or impossible to assign to European or smithsonianus.
I think this bird is a smithsonianus Herring Gull.
First of all the tail is mostly dark. There are very limited pale
markings at the base of the outer tail feathers. This is more marked
then many smithsonianus but is not at all extraordinary. It would be
far more extraordinary for a European Herring Gull (argentatus and
argenteus) to show this much dark in the tail. Note the right side of
the tail is probably closer to what would be visible in normal relaxed
flight.
There is a lack of overall checkered appearance to the wing coverts.
The pale areas are dirty brown with low contrast to the barring,
therefore subduing the young Great Black-backed Gull effect that
European Herring Gull (argentatus and argenteus) often remind me of.
The broad barred tips to tertials would be extreme on a one year old
Newfoundland smithsonianus, but perhaps less so on some Great Lakes
Herring Gulls. Among scores of juv/1st winter Herring Gulls at
Wheatley, Lake Erie, Ontario in early October 2004 I was surprised by
the number that had barred tertial tips and the extent of some of those
that did.
The barring on undertail coverts is fine for smithsonianus.
The image of a typical juv/1st winter smithsonianus Herring Gull as a
nearly uniform chocolate brown bird has been ingrained in many observers
by field guides and various photos. In fact there are many in North
America that aren't like this. In early October 2004 I had an
opportunity to see a few score of juv/1st winter smithsonianus Herring
Gull at Wheatley, Lake Erie, Ontario. I was surprised that the uniform
chocolate juvenile Herring Gull that I was used to in eastern Canada was
in the minority. Most had a more mealy brown body with pale head
streaking, more barred wing coverts, often substantial barring at tips
of tertials and more pale markings at base of tail. Also in contrast to
Newfoundland birds at the same time of year, 1st winter scapulars were
much more in evidence with some birds seemingly with all 1st winter
scapulars. I thought at the time, the Europeans would have a harder
time trying to pick these birds out of their Herring Gull (argentatus
and argenteus) flocks.
We can all help figure out how many subspecies of Herring Gull there are
in North American by photographing the birds in your area and then
labelling the photos with location and date.
Bruce Mactavish
St. John's, Newfoundland
Canada
bruce.mactavish1(AT)nf.sympatico.ca
-----Original Message-----
From: NBHC ID-FRONTIERS Frontiers of Field Identification
[mailto:BIRDWG01(AT)LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU] On Behalf Of Jean Iron
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2004 10:15 PM
To: BIRDWG01(AT)LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
Subject: [BIRDWG01] European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario
The gull season opens. We saw and photographed a juvenile Herring Gull
on
23 October 2004 at Hamilton on Lake Ontario. It has features of a
European
Herring Gull (agentatus or argenteus). Also, we haven't eliminated the
possibility of a Vega Herring Gull (vegae). We are interested in the
opinions of those who know the variation in American Herring, European
Herring, and Vega Herring Gulls. See four photos at
http://www3.sympatico.ca/jeaniron/HerringG.htm
Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway
Jean Iron
http://www3.sympatico.ca/jeaniron/
9 Lichen Place
Toronto ON M3A 1X3
416-445-9297
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: European Herring Gull (?) in Ontario
From: Martin Reid <upupa(AT)AIRMAIL.NET>
Date: 26 Oct 2004 7:29am
Dear Jean/Ron/all,
I agree with the comments of Julian and Bruce that this bird is not a good
fit for argentatus/argenteus, and I agree with them plus Phil that it seems
to be within the range of what we currently call smithsonianus - especially
those seen in western North America.
However, I don't think vegae can be so easily ruled out. If you browse the
magnificent Ujihara gull site:
http://larus.hp.infoseek.co.jp/gullidentifi_.htm
- it will not take long for you to find some 1CY vegae that look VERY like
the Ontario bird.
Of course, this does not mean it IS a vegae.... The first thing I look at
on such birds are the undertail coverts: while a few vegae have the dark
marks approaching the dense, smith-type (actually all New World gulls share
thus pattern), the clear majority have the Old World-type of
sparsely-marked undertail coverts (of the largely Old World forms, SBGU is
the only exception.)
Some vegae have underparts ( = ahead of the undertail coverts) just like
many smiths; most are slightly less clouded/more mottled, and a minority
look like argentatus/argenteus in the clarity of the streaking.
The tail pattern of the Ontario bird is similar to a large number of vegae;
a minority have more extensive white than this at the base of the
retrices. The longitudinal white marks on the inner vane of the outer Rs
is again typical of vegae (and not the other Old World HERG-types) and
seems only to be found in a few smith-types that also resemble vegae in
other respects (and might be vegae.)
What we can't see in these pics is the degree of any pale panel in the
primaries; typically vegae has this panel extend outwards more than in
smith, but less than in SBGU, but there is significant variation in all
three of these taxa in this regard, and this feature can only be used as a
minor element.
We don't really have any good idea about the occurrence of vegae in the New
World away from western Alaska. Given its numbers in AK compared to SBGU,
and the numbers of SBGU records (all non-first-years - cos we can't ID that
age) from the rest of North America, I feel that vegae should be a are but
regular visitor to the West Coast, and casual elsewhere here. If this is
true, we may be misleading ourselves about the variability of smith; every
year a few vegae candidates pop up, and they get left in limbo because
someone recalls seeing the odd smith that looked exactly like that bird -
but what if that benchmark smith was actually a vegae? We just don't know
enough yet.
In the meantime we need to collect all the data we can on vegae-like birds,
as these may help sort things out later if/when we have a better handle on
the ID and the true occurrence.
BTW one other apparently good ID feature mentioned to me by the Ujiharas
for first-cycle vegae is that, on the upper leading edge of the inner wing
there is a strong, thin white line in the marginal coverts. They say that
this is not found in smith, and in a quick sampling of my database of
flight pics, I cannot find any smiths with such a clear white
marginal-covert line - can anyone else?
Cheers,
martin
Martin Reid
San Antonio, Texas
mailto:upupa(AT)airmail.net
http://www.martinreid.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Mystery bird in Minnesota
From: "David A. Cahlander" <david(AT)CAHLANDER.COM>
Date: 26 Oct 2004 6:24pm
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
We have a bird coming to a feeder in Freeport, MN. We have a guess =
about the species, but I'm not sure. Can you take a look at this bird =
and help with the identification?
http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4848.jpg long view at the feeder
http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4863.jpg close-up at the feeder
http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4856.jpg tail view in a spruce =
tree
http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4852.jpg side view in a spruce =
tree
The first species that came to mind are Lesser Goldfinch and =
Black-headed Bunting, but the pictures indicate that it is neither. =
Note that it is banded. I'm not familiar with band types, but it may =
indicate that it is an exotic escaped bird. If it is an escaped bird, =
where would it escape from?
Thanks.
---
David Cahlander david(AT)cahlander.com Burnsville, MN 952-894-5910
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Mystery bird in Minnesota
From: Hugh McGuinness <hmcguinness(AT)ROSS.ORG>
Date: 26 Oct 2004 6:48pm
"David A. Cahlander" <david(AT)CAHLANDER.COM> writes:
>http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4852.jpg
Hello David,
To me the bird looks like a weaver (Plocidae), and reminds me of a female
Ploceus baglafechti reichenowi (Baglafect's Weaver) that I saw in Kenya.
This species is native to East Africa and the subspecies was formerly
considered a separate species, Riechenow's Weaver. I'll be interested to
see what people with more experience in Africa have to say.
hugh
Hugh McGuinness
The Ross School
18 Goodfriend Park
East Hampton, NY 11937
hmcguinness(AT)ross.org
631-907-5229
http://mail.ross.org/~hmcguinness
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Mystery bird in Minnesota
From: Allen Chartier <amazilia1(AT)COMCAST.NET>
Date: 26 Oct 2004 7:17pm
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
David,
Your mystery bird is a female Baglafecht (Reichenow's) Weaver (Ploceus =
baglafecht reichenowi), which is found in the East African highlands =
(mainly Kenya?). It is well illustrated on plate 114 in Birds of Kenya =
and Northern Tanzania by Zimmerman, Turner, and Pearson, 1999 (Princeton =
Field Guides). I also have a photo of a male on my website at: =
http://www.amazilia.net/images/Birds/Ploceidae/BaglafechtWeaver.htm.
Clearly, an escaped cage bird, but how or when is impossible for me to =
say. Possibly a zoo escape?
Allen Chartier
amazilia1(AT)comcast.net
1442 West River Park Drive
Inkster, MI 48141
Website: http://www.amazilia.net
Michigan HummerNet: http://www.amazilia.net/MIHummerNet/index.htm
----- Original Message -----=20
From: David A. Cahlander=20
To: BIRDWG01(AT)LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU=20
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 9:24 PM
Subject: [BIRDWG01] Mystery bird in Minnesota
We have a bird coming to a feeder in Freeport, MN. We have a guess =
about the species, but I'm not sure. Can you take a look at this bird =
and help with the identification?
http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4848.jpg long view at the =
feeder
http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4863.jpg close-up at the feeder
http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4856.jpg tail view in a spruce =
tree
http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4852.jpg side view in a spruce =
tree
The first species that came to mind are Lesser Goldfinch and =
Black-headed Bunting, but the pictures indicate that it is neither. =
Note that it is banded. I'm not familiar with band types, but it may =
indicate that it is an exotic escaped bird. If it is an escaped bird, =
where would it escape from?
Thanks.
---
David Cahlander david(AT)cahlander.com Burnsville, MN 952-894-5910
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Mystery bird in Minnesota
From: "Christopher T. Tessaglia-Hymes" <cth4(AT)cornell.edu>
Date: 26 Oct 2004 7:47pm
found this nice match to your photo, of a female Baglafecht Weaver:
<http://www.sitecenter.dk/birds/falsterboaugust2002/view.nhtml?profile=falsterboaugust2002&UID=10040>
(www.sitecenter.dk/birds/falsterboaugust2002/view.nhtml?profile=falsterboaugust2002&UID=10040)
Escapee, who knows where. Local collector? Check with the Minnesota
Companion Bird Association (MCBA) to see if anyone has lost this
species...or who bands with this color type. <http://www.mnbird.org/>
(www.mnbird.org)
--Chris T-H
> We have a bird coming to a feeder in Freeport, MN. We have a guess
about
> the species, but I'm not sure. Can you take a look at this bird and
help
> with the identification?
>
> http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4848.jpg long view at the feeder
http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4863.jpg close-up at the feeder
http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4856.jpg tail view in a spruce
tree
> http://pancho.cahlander.com/website/4852.jpg side view in a spruce
tree
>
> The first species that came to mind are Lesser Goldfinch and
Black-headed
> Bunting, but the pictures indicate that it is neither. Note that it is
banded. I'm not familiar with band types, but it may indicate that it
is
> an exotic escaped bird. If it is an escaped bird, where would it escape
from?
>
> Thanks.
> ---
> David Cahlander david(AT)cahlander.com Burnsville, MN 952-894-5910
>
=============================================
Christopher T. Tessaglia-Hymes, Research Assistant
Bioacoustics Research Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850
Voice: 607-254-2418, FAX: 607-254-2460
<http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp> <mailto:cth4(AT)cornell.edu>
=============================================
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: 1w male A.discors/cyanoptera
From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Ricard__Guti=E9rrez?= <gutarb(AT)TERRA.ES>
Date: 27 Oct 2004 11:57am
Hello all
There is a mounted specimen of what appears to be a 1st winter drake
nearctic duck which was initially believed-to-be an Anas discors,
Blue-winged teal. There is a (poor but the only we have for now in digital
format) image at http://www.rarebirdspain.net/w3166.jpg
However, we feel there might be something wrong with this bird to be a BW
Teal:
The bill seems too long and a bit odd-shaped (better approaching
cyanoptera?)
The head pattern (and overall underparts) seem too warm and pale again for
discors and perhaps better fitting cyanoptera.
I'd like to ask our American colleagues to have a look and, most
importantly, to give your opinion on this bird which anyway it's an
interesting record but that can become a major finding depending on your
opinions.
One of our colleagues will have the chance of checking the bird (it is in a
private -and almost inaccessible- collection), so any reccomendation for
measurements to be taken or any diagnostic feature would be also welcome.
Thanks a lot
Ricard Gutiérrez
http://www.rarebirdspain.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Spanish Teal i.d.
From: Ian Mclaren <iamclar(AT)DAL.CA>
Date: 28 Oct 2004 5:39am
Riacard et al.:
Some may remember that I have been pursuing teal i.d. from
measurements of published and web photos of BWTE and CITE photos.
I added the measurements from Ricard's photo (marginal, but I think o.k.
for the purrpose) into the mix, as an "unknown" with 27 CITE and 19 BWTE
head photos. A discriminant analysis of transformed ratios of various head
measurements correctly assigns 19/27 CITE and 17/19 BWTE.
Ricard's "unknown" bird proves to have a > 99% probability of being CITE
from this analysis, a conclusion that he (and probably other viewers) had
come to from simple obsbervation.
Cheers, Ian
Ian A. McLaren
Professor Emeritus
Biology Department
Dalhousie University
Halifax, NS B3H 4J1
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Cackling (hutchinsii) vs Canada (parvipes)
From: Ross Silcock <silcock(AT)rosssilcock.com>
Date: 28 Oct 2004 7:40pm
Hi all:
While googling around, I noticed a difference in bill structure between the
two forms noted above. In parvipes, there appears to be a sharp rearward
extension of the bill that seems to be absent, or at least considerably less
pronounced, in hutchinsii. Is this worthy of consideration?
Comparison shots:
parvipes: www.badboybirding.com/LCGO_01252004.htm
hutchinsii: http://www.martinreid.com/cago2.html and
http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/rare_birds/richardsons_canada_goose.htm
Ross
Ross Silcock
P.O. Box 57
Tabor, Iowa, USA 51653
silcock(AT)rosssilcock.com
New Zealand Land and Pelagic Bird Tours
Birders' Checklist of the Pacific
www.rosssilcock.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Fw: Cackling (hutchinsii) vs Canada (parvipes)
From: Ross Silcock <silcock(AT)rosssilcock.com>
Date: 28 Oct 2004 7:58pm
Hi all:
I'm not sure this went through; I apologize if it appears twice.
Ross
> Hi all:
> While googling around, I noticed a difference in bill structure between
the
> two forms noted above. In parvipes, there appears to be a sharp rearward
> extension of the bill that seems to be absent, or at least considerably
less
> pronounced, in hutchinsii. Is this worthy of consideration?
> Comparison shots:
>
> parvipes: www.badboybirding.com/LCGO_01252004.htm
>
> hutchinsii: http://www.martinreid.com/cago2.html and
>
> http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/rare_birds/richardsons_canada_goose.htm
>
> Ross
>
> Ross Silcock
> P.O. Box 57
> Tabor, Iowa, USA 51653
> silcock(AT)rosssilcock.com
> New Zealand Land and Pelagic Bird Tours
> Birders' Checklist of the Pacific
> www.rosssilcock.com
>
>
>
>
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: pdf of David and Gosselin
From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Pierre-Andr=E9_CROCHET?= <pierre-andre.crochet(AT)CEFE.CNRS.FR>
Date: 29 Oct 2004 4:20am
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Dear all,=0D
Does anybody have a pdf file of David and Gosselin (2002) Bull. Brit. Orn. =
Club=0D
122.=0D
on spelling of scientific names?=0D
Thanks a lot in advance!=0D
Pierre=0D
PLEASE NOTE NEW EMAIL // ATTENTION NOUVELLE ADRESSE EMAIL=0D
Pierre-Andr=E9 Crochet=0D
CNRS-UMR 5175 Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive=0D
1919, route de Mende=0D
34293 Montpellier cedex 5=0D
France=0D
tel: + 33 6 07 32 60 75=0D
+ 33 4 67 61 32 98=0D
fax: + 33 4 67 41 21 38=0D
pierre-andre.crochet(AT)cefe.cnrs.fr=0D
--=20
passerelle antivirus du campus CNRS de Montpellier
--
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Thrush ID
From: SGMlod(AT)AOL.COM
Date: 29 Oct 2004 7:45pm
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Greetings All
I was perusing Joe Morlan's excellent website and came across pictures of a
thrush ID'd as a Veery. See http://fog.ccsf.org/~jmorlan/veer100104.htm
Joe's written description is great for Veery, but the photos struck me as
odd. In the photos, the bird appears to have a fairly bold eyering, the overall
color seems a bit dull, and as I recall them, Veeries typically show some gray
in the cheek-- something this bird lacks.
Indeed, "one of California's premier birders" apparently has opined that this
bird was an odd Hermit Thrush.
So, I looked at photos in both the Stoke's Guide and Kaufman's Focus Guide,
and interestingly, in both birds the Veeries depicted show rather prominent
eyerings and none of the gray on the cheek I recall so vividly.
Interesting how photos can be so different from what our brains/eyes see.
Anyway, looking back at Joe's pictures, considering the two published photos
mentioned above, and considering Joe's written description, I feel that the ID
of Veery is correct.
However, I thought members of the listserv might be interested in this
potential quandary, and I thought the discussion might be illuminating in
general.
Cheers
Steven Mlodinow
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Gray-tailed vs. Wandering Tattlers
From: Brian Fitch <Fogeggs(AT)AOL.COM>
Date: 31 Oct 2004 6:51pm
Last week I heard an apparent Wandering Tattler give a clear, upslurred
"too-weee" call in San Francisco. Following "Shorebirds" by Hayman et. al. for
marks to separate the tattlers, I spent the bulk of my time trying to get a
decent look at the nasal groove, which appeared to run about 60% of the length
of
the bill. I also noted that the wingtips were slightly shorter than the tail,
and the supercilium was not long or broad and didn't meet over the bill. I
never saw the uppertail coverts, and as the flanks were not mentioned as a
field
mark, I unfortunately did not study them. The bird's plumage was a medium
dark gray, as I've seen on many presumed WATA's, not the lighter gray I saw on
an alternate Gray-tailed this past June in Gambell. There was no juvenal
speckling. The bird was aggressive toward other rockbirds, something I've not
seen
from local Wanderings, and it did not bob as frequently as others have. The
bird was feeding actively in rocky tidepools.
In searching for other sources to study, I was referred to this listserve by
several people. Hayman states that the only diagnostic field marks to
separate the tattlers in basic plumage are the call, the length of the nasal
groove,
and the pattern of scaling on the tarsus. Of those, I had only the call as an
unequivocal perception, and as Hayman was published in '86, I'd like to know
if these diagnostics are still considered acceptible, and whether anyone knows
of other factors from personal experience or other sources that would support
or contradict these. Sources from Siberia, Alaska, Oceana and Australia
would seem especially pertinent.
Brian Fitch San Francisco CA USA
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