Rare Bird Report #: 52-B-06

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES:

Short-billed Dowitcher

HOW MANY:

1 juvenile

REPORTER:

Cliff Weisse
4125 Beaver Springs Rd.
Island Park, ID 83429
208-558-7789

REPORTER EMAIL:

cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

OTHER OBSERVERS:

Lisa Weisse
contact info as above

DATE REPORT PREPARED:

9/24/06

DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:

9/8/06

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:

Island Park Reservoir, west end near mouth of Sheridan Creek, near Island Park, Fremont County

HABITAT:

Mud flat on reservoir

CONDITIONS:

Sunny and calm with sun high, distance to bird about 50 yards. Binocs for both observers are nikon premier 10x and Swarovski 80mm scope at up to 60x.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:

No, not at all

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:

No, not at all

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



DESCRIPTION:

Long bill. Overall warm coloration with extensive marking on upperparts. Juvenile plumage determined by condition of plumage-all feathers of upperparts uniform and unworn. Obvious primary extension beyond tertials. Tertials extensively marked with bright buff. Internal markings consisted fo a solid bar with numerous notches extending towards the shaft.

BEHAVIOR:

Foraging in mud. I (Cliff) heard a Short-billed Dowitcher flight call after this sighting, the only dowitcher we saw all day, but not while the bird was in sight. A few minutes later we both clearly heard a Short-billed Dowitcher flight call but again we were not able to see the bird when it called. The call was a typical fast three noted tu-tu-tu call, lower pitch than Long-billed and similar to Lesser Yellowlegs but faster, mellower, and slightly lower in pitch.

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

I recognized the bird a a juvenile dowitcher instantly and the overall warm tones suggested Short-billed. Upon closer approach the diagnostic internal markings on the tertials were clearly seen.

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

The only possible species this individual could be confused with is Long-billed Dowitcher which is eliminated by heavily marked tertials.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):

I see and study hundreds of Long-billed and a few Shor-billed Dowitchers annually in Idaho for the past six years or so.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:

13 years

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

None