Rare Bird Report #: 55-B-07

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: Red Phalarope

HOW MANY: 1

REPORTER: Charles Swift

REPORTER EMAIL: chaetura@gmail.com

OTHER OBSERVERS: found by Keith Carlson & Winnie Hepburn, Larry Hamrin also observed & photographed this bird on 5/24 and was present when I was there.

DATE REPORT PREPARED: 7/6/2007

DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: 5/24/2007

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Mann Lake, Nez Perce Co.

HABITAT: lake shoreline

CONDITIONS: Observed for 10-15 minutes over a period of about 1.5 hrs. Weather was not noted but was fair or better. Viewing conditions were good. Optics used were primarily Nikon Fieldscope w/ 10-45X eye piece.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: No, not at all

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, later the same day

WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: Sibley Field Guide to Birds (W. NA), Shorebirds (Hayman et al.), Shorebirds of the Pacific NW (Paulson)

DESCRIPTION: A small, dumpy shorebird w/ blotchy red underparts and a fairly short but stout (not needle-like) bill. The photos alone should be diagnostic. I am submitting this report to provide support to the original sighting and also comment on the apparent sex of this bird. I noted a distinctly streaked cap and extensively blotchy underparts (more visible when the bird was walking on the shore). (Underparts more visible on Larry's photo here: http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=513102552&size=o). Paulson (Shorebirds of the Pac. NW) and Hayman et al. (Shorebirds) both note the streaked cap as feature of males as well as the variable amount of white on the underparts (esp. the belly). (Paulson suggests that the streaked cap is diagnostic for males.) Cliff Weisse also noted this "In addition to the duller red of the underparts and streaked cap that he mentioned, the edges of the scapulars and tertials are rufous. Females in photos I've looked at have white or buff edges on these feathers while males have rufous."

BEHAVIOR: Feeding along shoreline.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? This bird had already been reported and the identity was clearly correct based on photographs available.

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? The only other shorebirds with extensive red underparts are Curlew Sandpiper and Red Knot. Both are easily eliminated by a combination of plumage detail, size, shape, and bill structure.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): Only seen once previously, a juvenile plumaged bird in fall migrantion.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: Have been birding for 30 years, most seriously for the past 15 years.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: None