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Index of Subjects Hi, Rick. I agree with Richard that the Short-billed Dowitchers in photos 83 to 88 look like members of the griseus race. In photo 89, however, there is a likely-looking hendersoni - the one seen in profile facing right, at the leading edge of the mud, a little above and to the right of the centre of the photo. The bird immediately to its left may also be hendersoni, but not enough of it is showing, to tell. You saw these birds in the field, though, so you're in a better position to ID them to race. The fieldmarks I use to distinguish these two sub-species in breeding plumage are: griseus: - orange neck and breast, paler orange than hendersoni. - mostly white belly. - usually heavy barring on flanks, heavy spotting on breast-sides, neck (including foreneck) and undertail. - dull upperparts with narrow pale rufous markings (may be absent in worn plumage). hendersoni: - darker orange underparts, brightest on neck, with orange on belly and undertail; may show white area on belly but much smaller than in griseus. - sides of breast and flanks marked with spots and short bars. - no spotting on foreneck or belly, less spotting on undertail than griseus. - broader orange markings on upperparts. - new non-breeding wing coverts are paler grey than in griseus, and are neatly fringed in white. The birds in your photos 83 to 88 have too much white showing on the belly to look like hendersoni, and show spotting on the foreneck and belly. The one I've described in photo 89, though, shows darker, richer orange underparts, including the undertail, with a relatively small white patch on the belly. One complicating factor is that there is a hybrid population that breeds on the south shore of Hudson Bay, that is intermediate in breeding plumage between griseus and hendersoni - just for fun! Another complication is that they become much more similar as they moult out of breeding plumage. Hope this helps. Cheers, Susann Myers ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick Whitman" <dendroica.caerulescens@gmail.com> To: "naturens" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2012 6:35 PM Subject: [NatureNS] Short-billed Dowitcher photos >I got some pretty definitive photos of one Short-billed Dowitcher > today, on the point S of East Point at N. Grand Pre. A series of four > starts at the direct link. > > http://rickwhitman.smugmug.com/Nature/Shorebirds/22686725_mPvQtv#!i=1978968974&k=5rZSPtj > > I'm hoping that Susann Myers or anyone can give me the race ID from these. > > Rick Whitman
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Index of Subjects