ML331297071

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Found previous day by Barksdale. Watched off and on during this 3-hr period and again 3-4 p.m. as it walked on mud, flew around at medium range along channel on south side of Riverlands Way. Winter adult, with pale blue-gray mantle uniform to wingtips in flight; broad white trailing edge; smoky-gray or blue-gray underwing appearing a lot darker than upper wing when viewed against solid background; white tail with strong wedge shape esp. when landing on mud. Head white with small comma-like dark auricular spot behind eye, vertically oriented, slightly vague in outline. Eye dark with (apparently) a little dark smudgy feathering around it; impression was of a disproportionately large blackish eye. On nape and center-rear of crown, some pale gray, contrasting very little with white of head; on closest scope study (?150 yds at 45+ power), head appeared to have a thin shadowy line outlining face, from auricular spot down & around to below chin; possibly remnants of necklace. Entire underparts, throat to belly, white washed with pale pink, visible best against mud at rest but also in flight against dark backgrounds; notable color contrast with gray underwing. Proportions on ground dovelike (small-head, full-breasted) but also very long-winged, attenuated. Proportions in air ternlike, with long pale elegant wings, tapered and pointed. Bill very short (less than or equal to distance from eye to bill), not too thin, culmen decurved to point at tip, mandible straight; all black. Legs dark red, color not too obvious except against mud at close range. Puttered around persistently on mud, not merely resting like Ring-bills. Very tame, allowing many people to approach for pictures.

Technical information

Dimensions

459 pixels x 480 pixels

Original file size

51.63 KB