[NatureNS] Strange Shorebird, Three Fathom Harbour

From: Susann Myers <myerss@eastlink.ca>
To: "Ns-Rba@Yahoogroups.Com" <ns-rba@yahoogroups.com>,
Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:37:49 -0300
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Pat McKay and I visited Shorebird Cove Thursday evening, between 5:30 =
(mid-tide) and 8:00 (an hour before low tide).

No Stilt Sandpipers were present, but there was a strange shorebird that =
we could not conclusively identify to species, even though it was =
present the full time we were there. =20

In most respects, it matched the field marks of a Pectoral Sandpiper:
- size - roughly same body length as Lesser Yellowlegs, but chunkier =
body.  Roughly 1.5 times body length of Semipalmated Sandpiper.  Right =
for male Pectoral.
- medium-length bill, decurved, black in outer half, dull orange at =
base.
- medium-length legs, much shorter than Lesser Yellowlegs, right length =
for Pectoral.
- heavy breast streaking, ending abruptly.
- white unmarked belly and undertail coverts.
- head showed darker cap, that tapered to a point at the base of the =
bill.
- upperparts brown, with broad dull grey-brown fringes (like =
non-breeding plumage of Pectoral, so perhaps a first-summer bird).  No =
rufuous fringes, no white mantle lines.
- long mantle feathers that occasionally blew up in the wind.
- thin dark eye-line.
- fairly long primary projection, even with tip of fairly long tail.
- in flight, appeared dark brown above, no wing stripe seen ( so no or =
inconspiuous wing stripe), dark brown central tail bar.  Streaked breast =
visible from below, even at a distance.
- fed almost exclusively at the muddy edge of the cove, close to the =
grass edge.  Occasionally stood in water.

But it did not look right for a Pectoral in the following respects:
- legs were dark orange in colour, not yellowish.
- overall colour was a warm light brown - not quite rufuous, not buffy.
- very plain unstreaked face, warm light brown in colour, with no white =
eyebrow, no white at sides or top of base of bill, no wide eyestripe =
between bill and eye.  Only white near the face was a small chin patch =
at the base of the bill.
- very white underwings, that appeared white to the wing tip.

We wondered, therefore, whether this might be a hybrid - perhaps between =
Pectoral and Buff-breasted, or Pectoral and Ruff.  All 3 use lek =
displays on their breeding grounds.

The bird appeared to be settling in for the night when we left.  If =
anyone has a chance to try for some good photos at mid-tide, it would be =
much appreciated.  When we saw it, it stayed tucked into the far left =
edge of the pond (left if you stand facing the ocean).

Cheers,
Susann Myers
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Pat McKay and I visited Shorebird Cove =
Thursday=20
evening, between 5:30 (mid-tide) and 8:00 (an hour before low=20
tide).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>No Stilt Sandpipers were present, but =
there was a=20
strange shorebird that we could not conclusively identify to species, =
even=20
though it was present the&nbsp;full time we were there.&nbsp; =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>In most respects, it matched the field =
marks of a=20
Pectoral Sandpiper:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- size - roughly same body length as =
Lesser=20
Yellowlegs, but chunkier body.&nbsp; Roughly 1.5 times body length of=20
Semipalmated Sandpiper.&nbsp; Right for male Pectoral.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- medium-length bill, decurved, black =
in outer=20
half, dull orange at base.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- medium-length legs, much shorter than =
Lesser=20
Yellowlegs, right length for Pectoral.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- heavy breast =
streaking,&nbsp;ending</FONT><FONT=20
size=3D2 face=3DArial> abruptly.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- white unmarked belly and undertail=20
coverts.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- head showed darker cap, that tapered =
to a point=20
at the base of the bill.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- upperparts brown, with broad dull =
grey-brown=20
fringes (like non-breeding plumage of Pectoral, so perhaps a =
first-summer=20
bird).&nbsp; No rufuous fringes, no white mantle lines.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- long mantle feathers that =
occasionally blew up in=20
the wind.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- thin dark eye-line.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- fairly long primary projection, even =
with tip of=20
fairly long tail.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- in flight, appeared dark brown above, =
no wing=20
stripe seen ( so no or inconspiuous wing stripe),&nbsp;dark brown =
central tail=20
bar.&nbsp; Streaked breast visible from below, even at a =
distance.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- fed almost exclusively at the muddy =
edge=20
of&nbsp;the cove,&nbsp;cl</FONT><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>ose to the =
grass=20
edge.&nbsp; Occasionally stood in water.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>But it did not look right for a =
Pectoral in the=20
following respects:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- legs were dark orange in colour, not=20
yellowish.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- overall colour was a warm light brown =
- not quite=20
rufuous, not buffy.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- very plain unstreaked face, warm =
light brown in=20
colour,&nbsp;with no white eyebrow, no white at sides or top of base of =
bill, no=20
wide eyestripe between bill and eye.&nbsp; Only white near the face was =
a small=20
chin patch at the base of the bill.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>- very white underwings, that appeared =
white to the=20
wing tip.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>We wondered, therefore, whether this =
might be a=20
hybrid -&nbsp;perhaps between Pectoral and Buff-breasted, or Pectoral =
and=20
Ruff.&nbsp; All 3 use lek displays on their&nbsp;breeding =
grounds.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>The bird appeared to be settling in for =
the night=20
when we left.&nbsp; If anyone has a chance to try for some good photos =
at=20
mid-tide, it would be much appreciated.&nbsp; When we saw it, =
it&nbsp;stayed=20
tucked into the far left edge of the pond (left if you stand facing the=20
ocean).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Cheers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Susann Myers</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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