IBRC #14-B-12

Idaho Bird Records Committee
Rarities Report Form

Species: Whimbrel
Reporter: Steve Butterworth 960 Country Road, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83402 tntbutters@cableone.net
Other Observers: Darren Clark later the same date.

Date Report Prepared: 1/8/12
Date Sighting Occurred: May 13th, 2011

Locality of Observation: Market Lake Area
Habitat: Field-heavy vegitation.
Conditions: Sunny

Did you take notes… no
Did you consult a field guide or other reference work? during the observation?______Yes______
What guide(s) or reference(s) did you consult? Sibley's on I-touch

Description: Two smaller curlew type birds observeed feeding with several long-billed curlews with short down-curved bill and dark crown-stripesand on the head and a dark thin stripe through the eye. Sun was above and behind birds which darked the pictures taken through scope.
Behavior: Actively feeding in heavy vegitation but slowy moving away after vehicle stopped.

How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you? Recognized the smaller size, down curved bill profile against the larger longer billed curlews. Verified dark crown stripes through first binnoculars and then through scope while attemping to get pictures.
How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they? Eliminated long billed curlews by size and shape of bills, dark crown and by the fact they were present during observation.

Experience with this species (and similar species): One other observed at Camas Wildlife refuge the previous year.
General birding experience: Actively birded over the last 10 years .

Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you? (If yes, please include or attach) Pictures obtaked through Zeiss scope but sun was above and behind observed specimens resulting in poor lighting contributing to little contrast of the various colors and features of specimens. No attempts have been made to lighten submitted photos.

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