This Dowitcher presumably flew in from across the Atlantic at some stage this autumn and arrived on this East Coast Marsh, perhaps via some intermediate stopping points. It is recognizable by its brownish snipe-like appearance, fairly clear pale eye stripe, and also by its "sewing-machine" like feeding motion. The details of its plumage are very similar to the closely-related Short Billed Dowitcher. It is fairly regularly found in Western Europe on a few occasions each year.
Here the uniform grey of the centre of the tertials is quite clear. At least on the juvenile the books indicate that this is a good sign that this is indeed a Long Billed rather than a Short Billed.
The white slightly spotted rump is visible in the picture below. The brownish scapulars(?) indicate a likely juvenile.
On several occasions the bird vigorously scratched at its bill.
Here the uniform grey of the centre of the tertials is quite clear. At least on the juvenile the books indicate that this is a good sign that this is indeed a Long Billed rather than a Short Billed.
The white slightly spotted rump is visible in the picture below. The brownish scapulars(?) indicate a likely juvenile.
On several occasions the bird vigorously scratched at its bill.
No comments:
Post a Comment