Rare Bird Report 25-B-08

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM


SPECIES:  


Short-billed Dowitcher


HOW MANY:


one, juvenile


REPORTER:  


Chuck Trost
225 N. Lincoln, Pocatello, ID 83204
208-233-4538


REPORTER EMAIL:  


trostchuck@cableone.net


OTHER OBSERVERS:


Todd Winters (208-226-5780), LaRue Gregerson (207-237-0776) , John Bunker (208-317-6645, and two others.


DATE REPORT PREPARED:  


9-21-08


DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:  


9-21-08


LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:


1/4 mile east of the silo at American Falls dam, Power County.


HABITAT:


mud flats


CONDITIONS:


Watched for 10 minutes with a Kowa 15-60X80 scope, and binoculars from 100 meters, sun behind us, wind calm just after a rain squall, temp 65F.


DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:  


No, not at all


DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:  


Yes, during the observation


WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:


large Sibley guide to Birds of N. Am.


DESCRIPTION:  


Scolopacidae - sandpipers - long bill (but noticeably shorter than LBDO), generally rusty brown, long wings, legs fairly long, distinct light supercillium, tertials barred.


BEHAVIOR:  


Probing in the mud in typical dowitcher fashion in company with several Black-bellied Plovers and one Am. Golden Plover, no interactions noted.  No voice heard.


HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?


Obviously a dowitcher, but the barred tertials clinched the ID for me.


HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?


Long-billed dowitcher juveniles have unbarred tertials and longer bills.


EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):  


 This is not a common bird here, but I have seen them at least ten different times in Idaho.


GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:  


 I've been birding over 60 years, and consider myself fairly good at identification.


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


None