[birding] Dowitcher help please.

[David Irons]

Gail et al.,
The dowitchers you saw were almost assuredly Long-billeds. As you learned from your research, by this date Short-billed Dowitchers should already be showing at least some, if not most of their more colorful alternate (breeding) plumage. Further, the northbound migration of the western subspecies (caurinus) occurs almost entirely along the outer coast, with very few birds showing up in inland. Short-billed Dowitchers rarely winter in Oregon, whereas Long-billed Dowitchers are locally uncommon wintering birds in the Willamette Valley and elsewhere in w. Oregon. Based on some quick research, peak numbers of northbound Short-billed Dowitcher reach San Diego 10-25 April. In my experience, peak numbers of northbound S-B Dows pass along the Oregon Coast during the last week of April and the first week of May. By that point in the migration, all the Short-billed Dows that I've seen have been in full alternate plumage.
Dave IronsEugene, OR
> From: ggandrbird at peak.org
> To: birding at midvalleybirding.org
> Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2010 19:59:56 -0700
> Subject: [birding] Dowitcher help please.
> 
> 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
> 
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