[birding] Dowitcher help please.

[Gail Andrews]

I know this is "out of area" but I don't want to bother all of OBOL.

At the south end Eckman Lake east of Waldport today I spotted 8 sleeping
dowitcher.  (Actually I spotted 8 mystery blob) with some sleeping female
Green Winged Teal (it wasn't very easy birding today).

Lighting was good and I had my scope.  They were standing in water almost up
to their bellies, but I did get a view of yellow-colored legs.  Eventually
one moved a bit and I got a flash of white on the back. I did get a few
quick glimpses of long bills. So, Dowitchers without a doubt.   So here's my
thinking:

Most were still gray, with a few a bit darker and starting to show some
brown.  (Paulson indicated that Short-bills change plumage earlier than LB,
and give Ap 8th as a date where LB are gray and SB brown--so I'm thinking
LB)

The longest wing feathers were completely clear with a boarder, not striped
or marked (so not juv. Short Bills, but does this mean anything at this time
of year or for adults)  anyway, I at least still thinking LB.

Then there is the distribution thing -- more likely LB here now, right?
Freshwater, a little early (but not too early) for SB migration.

I did hear a few peeps, but after listening to sounds on the web, I can't
say it wasn't a GW Teal that I heard, and since the birds pretty much had
their heads tucked under their wings (despite my attempt to start a
conversation with them) forget about any hints from the audio portion of my
experience.

I think (maybe just hoped) that one of the bills I saw for a split second
was very, very long, pointing to female LB Dowitcher.

I couldn't get anything more on the markings on the underside and the
primary length -- basically they looked like the photos of the SB & LB in
this plumage in the book that have identical descriptions under them. (And
those who may have heard my favorite mushroom dichotomous key choice: "brown
vs. brown-brown", the literature on Dowitchers had the same feeling.)

My gut says Long Bill Dowitcher but I'm wondering if I'm going too far out
on a limb. -- I may go back tolook for these bird tomorrow and try to get a
better look (you know they will be waiting for me) What would make me KNOW
that these are LBs (or SBs if that happens to be the case.)? At this point
I'm thinking I need to see a really, really long bill or get them to talk to
me (and hope I can understand when they tell me their name.)

Thanks... Gail Andrews