IBRC 14-B-10

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: Dunlin
HOW MANY: seven, age and sex onknown (have photos).

REPORTER: Rick Nau 9785 Dewey Road Emmett, ID 83617 208-365-6702
REPORTER EMAIL: RickNau@SpeedyQuick.net
OTHER OBSERVERS: Found by Rick Nau, also seen by Barbara Nau (wife).

DATE REPORT PREPARED: 31 January, 2010
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: First on 21 December, 2009; persisted until 2 January, 2010
ADDENDUM (added to original report by webmaster): Observer later reported seeing Dunlin at the same location on 22 February 2010.

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Seven-mile Slough pullout on State Highway 52, approx. 9.5 miles west of Emmett, ID.
HABITAT: shallow slough from Payette River
CONDITIONS: Observed 7 times over 9-day period.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: Yes, later the same day
DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, later the same day
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: National Geographic 5th Ed., Sibley Field Guide to Western Birds.

DESCRIPTION: Sandpipers. They were associating with a Killdeer and two Common Snipe. Size was noticeably smaller than the Killdeer. Somewhat brownish back, blackish legs, white bellies. Some had flecking down sides of chest and belly. Others pure white below. Noticeably long, heavy (for a small bird)down-curved black bill.
BEHAVIOR: Fed continuously in 2"-3" of water each time I observed them. Often pulled invertibrates 1"-2" long from the bottom. Very light, sweet chatter while feeding; stayed within approx. 6 feet of one another constantly.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? I checked many field guides, and finally posted pictures on IBLE seeking help in confirming my identification as Dunlin. The last response that I received was from Jay Carlisle, who agreed on Dunlin and pointed out which characteristics led him to the ID.
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? With the bill size and shape, Western, Least, etc. were not likely. Curlew Sandpiper has the same sort of bill, but was wrong in every other field mark. Those really eliminated the only other possibilities in my mind.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): I observed hundreds of nesting Dunlin in Barrow, AK. Although in full breeding plumage, the overall "feel" that the bird gives (size, bill, legs, etc.) is consistent, regardless of plumage. I have also observed many wintering Dunlin in coastal California and on the Gulf Coast. I was very comfortable with these as Dunlin.
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: I have been actively birding for 23 years. I travel 2-4 times every year for birding. I have approx. 650 species on my ABA-area list. I have birded the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Florida, Barrow, and Hawaii. I have taken pelagic trips in California, Alaska, and Nova Scotia; and we raised many eyebrows on a cruise from NYC to the Bahamas, when we spent most of our time glassing for seabirds and whales.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photo

The photos were cropped and resized by the webmaster.  To view original files clilck the photos.