[obol] [birding] Red Phalarope (not red-necked) at Philomath SPs

Mon Nov 23 18:15:29 PST 2009

A Red-necked Phalarope this late would be a week later than any sight record
I know of for Oregon, and maybe four weeks past any photo record.

Anyone out there have a photo of Red-necked past mid-October?

Weird shocking things happen, such as the Pectoral Sandpiper photographed on
a British Columbia CBC. That's why the Goddess gave us the digital camera.

-- 
Alan Contreras
EUGENE, OREGON
acontrer at mindspring.com

> From: Tim Rodenkirk <garbledmodwit at yahoo.com>
> Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:27:00 -0800 (PST)
> To: Jamie Simmons <woodpecker97330 at yahoo.com>, Douglas Robinson
> <douglas.robinson at oregonstate.edu>
> Cc: obol <obol at oregonbirdwatch.org>, post to list midvalleybirding
> <list at midvalleybirding.org>, Mid-valley-nature
> <mid-valley-nature at googlegroups.com>
> Subject: Re: [obol] [birding] Red Phalarope (not red-necked) at Philomath SPs
> 
> Doug,
>  
> Unlikely it is anyhow!  Red-necked Phalaropes are incredibly rare in Oregon in
> November, just as are species like Western Kingbird, although Red Phalarope
> and Tropical Kingbird are EXPECTED and not even that unusual, even in the
> valley for the Red Phalarope.  That said, you may have had a Red-necked
> Phalarope, but just wanted to let you know that your find would be the latest
> fall record ever if it was in Coos County. 
>  
> Tim Rodenkirk
> Coos Bay
> 
> --- On Mon, 11/23/09, Robinson, Douglas - FW
> <douglas.robinson at oregonstate.edu> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: Robinson, Douglas - FW <douglas.robinson at oregonstate.edu>
> Subject: Re: [obol] [birding] Red Phalarope (not red-necked) at Philomath SPs
> To: "Jamie S." <woodpecker97330 at yahoo.com>
> Cc: "Mid-valley-nature" <mid-valley-nature at googlegroups.com>, "post to list
> midvalleybirding" <list at midvalleybirding.org>, "obol"
> <obol at oregonbirdwatch.org>
> Date: Monday, November 23, 2009, 9:19 AM
> 
> 
> 
> Folks
> 
> 
> There was a red-necked there in the morning.
> 
> 
> Birds were moving around all day, so the bird later in the day was an arrival
> sometime later.  I got pics of the late bird, as did Lisa, but could not get
> on the earlier bird; there were much more interesting birds to focus on during
> the morning.
> 
> 
> Besides, how logical is it to say that a phalarope in Nov must be a red when
> there are storm-petrels, heeerman's gulls, and Barrow's goldeneyes there,
> too--all firsts.  Makes no sense to start declaring impossibilities or
> unlikelihoods.
> 
> 
> Have fun
> Doug
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Nov 23, 2009, at 9:03 AM, "Jamie S." <woodpecker97330 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks to Dave Irons, Alan Contreras, and Tim Rodenkirk, (and Lisa Millbank,
> who posted a photo) we now know that the "very late" red-necked phalarope at
> the Philomath SPs yesterday was actually a more expected "blown over the Coast
> Range" red phalarope in transitional plumage.
>  
> Jamie Simmons
> Corvallis
> 
> --- On Mon, 11/23/09, David Irons <llsdirons at msn.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: David Irons <llsdirons at msn.com>
> Subject: RE: [birding] Philomath sewage treatment ponds
> To: "Lisa Millbank" <lisaaves at peak.org>, "Mid-Valley Birders"
> <list at midvalleybirding.org>
> Date: Monday, November 23, 2009, 12:51 AM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Lisa,
> 
> Your image labeled "Red-necked Phalarope" is actually a hatch-year Red
> Phalarope that is transitioning from juvenile to its first basic (winter)
> plumage. Note the overall thickness of the bill and the rather thick neck of
> this bird. Also, it does not show any light (whitish) streaking on the back,
> which would be shown by a similarly plumaged Red-necked. A Red-necked
> Phalarope has a thinner neck, a very tiny head, and bill that is often
> described as 'needle-like" because it is so thin.
> 
> A Red-necked Phalarope in Oregon at this time of year would be quite unusual,
> whereas Red Phalarope is the "expected"phalarope in Oregon after Nov 1st.
> Under normal circumstances I would send this reply to you only, but I noticed
> that Jamie Simmons' summary of Sunday's rarities at the Philomath STP included
> a Red-necked Phalarope, which I found very surprising. Separation of Red and
> Red-necked Phalaropes in transitional hatch-year plumages is an
> under-appreciated ID challenge and one that is not covered well in some of the
> popular field guides. Aside from pelagic trips, opportunities to see these two
> species side-by-side in Oregon are few and far between.
> 
> I recently published a photo essay about plumage variation in Red Phalaropes
> at this time of year. It can be viewed at BirdFellow.com. It includes a photo
> of a bird that is near identical to the one in your image.
> 
> Dave Irons
> Eugene, OR 
> 
> 
> 
> From: lisaaves at peak.org
> To: list at midvalleybirding.org
> Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:45:27 -0800
> Subject: [birding] Philomath sewage treatment ponds
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We took a ride out to the Philomath sewage treatment ponds after hearing all
> the reports about the unusual birds showing up there.
> Along with the HEERMANN'S GULLS (who were departing to the west around 4PM),
> COMMON GOLDENEYE, and RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, we saw an EARED GREBE.  The
> phalarope sure was a cute, perky little guy, spinning around and picking up
> delicious nibbles out of the poo lagoon.  He didn't care at all as we slowly
> walked by. (Picture of phalarope at
> http://groups.google.com/group/mid-valley-nature/browse_thread/thread/45bd91d0
> 3f3b33b5)
> A congregation of NORTHERN SHOVELERS, LESSER SCAUPS, RING-NECKED DUCKS,
> and AMERICAN WIGEONS seemed to have found a rich food source in the middle
> of the south pond.  There were lots of RUDDY DUCKS, BUFFLEHEADS, AMERICAN
> COOTS, and a few HOODED MERGANSERS.  
> We missed out on Barrow's Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Leach's
> Storm-Petrel, and Bonaparte's Gull reported by others today.  I always worry
> about birds who get blown in by storms or otherwise go off-course.  I'd much
> rather they got on their way and back to where they want to be, even if that
> means we don't get to see them.
> Lisa
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