Rare Bird Report #2-B-09
IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM
SPECIES: Dunlin
HOW MANY: 1
REPORTER: Russ Manwaring 544 Longview Dr Emmett, ID 83617 208 739-1972 REPORTER EMAIL: rmanwaring@idahorcd.org
OTHER OBSERVERS: None
DATE REPORT PREPARED: 1/10/2009
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: 12/24/2008
LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: 7 Mile Slough along Hwy 52 7 miles west of Emmett, ID, Gem County, close to intection of Bishop road and Hwy 52
HABITAT: river slough with exposed rock shoreline
CONDITIONS: Distance about 100 feet, mostly cloudy sky, temp in the low 30s, no wind, canon powershot S1 IS with 1.5x converter shot at 10x optical zoom, time was about 1 pm. Observed for 15 minutes
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?: Sibleys Guide to Birds and National Geographic 3rd Edition Birds of NA
DESCRIPTION: a medium sized sandpiper. Long bill with slight droop at end. Legs were black. coloration of back, wings, neck, head were uniform gray blending to brown gray on primaries and then black on the wing tips. Sides, belly were white blending to flecked or streaked gray/brownish on breast
BEHAVIOR: Was activley feeding in water up to its belly. probing and walking. associated with least sandpipers (18)or so and 3 kildeers, it was about 1/3 smaller than kildeer. Also some Wilson's Snipes but did not approach these birds.
HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? Long black bill with tip droop, black legs and gray/brown coloration were major keys to ID. Made ID on site. Posted as mystery bird on IBLE for fun and got 2 responses of ID as Dunlin. the only thing that threw me a bit was its posture,not exhibiting the hunched back postion, a longer neck upright position, but it was activley feeding
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? Stilt Sandpiper has more streaking on underside and yellow legs. Not right for either Dowitcher. Bill not as strongly curved as Curlew Sandpiper
EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): I observed these birds each year in migration through Gem Co. Usually at the Emmett WWTP where they will loaf around. Don't recall that I have seen one actively feeding at this close proximity.
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: Active bird watcher for 40+ years. competent level of expertise and now after my cataract surgeries I can actually see some light and color
WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photo
Photos of a Dunlin taken on
12/24/08 in Gem Co by Russ Manwaring and correspond to a rare bird report
previously sent. Photo taken along 7 mile slough by Hwy 52 near Letha.
Camera is a Canon powershot S1 IS with a
1.5x converter. Shot was likely taken at a 10x optical zoom with the 5.8-58 mm
lens and 1.5x converter
(NOTE: ABOVE IMAGES CROPPED FROM ORIGINALS BUT NO OTHER EDITING WAS DONE)