ML388298881

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Observed and heard in Creeks by Jeremiah Trimble, Simon Perkins, and Peter Alden from Land Bank property behind Our Island Home, Nantucket, MA, 10/18/12. The time of observation was between 1645 and 1700. The sun was low and almost directly behind us during the entire encounter. Sunset was roughly 1715. Weather: clear, mild, wind SE at 10-20 kts. Immediately following the observation, we referenced some apps to check wing-lining color and to play calls of the two tattler species, and we also compared some of our impressions of features we had seen and heard. Then we decided to curtail any further research or discussion until we had finished writing our individual descriptions of the event. The following account, with only minor editing for clarity, was written roughly two hours after the observation. Sketches were also done at this time. We heard an odd-sounding shorebird immediately upon our arrival at the parking lot overlooking the Creeks. When it called a second time, JT called “plover”. But, as he and I exchanged quizzical looks, we realized that neither of us was sure exactly what it was we had heard. I agreed with JT’s assessment that it sounded plover-like: to my ear, the short, clear, up-slurred, and somewhat plaintive call sounded roughly intermediate between AGPL and SEPL, but less forceful, and lacking their somewhat more “frantic” quality. Seeing no candidates during an initial scan of the area, I walked down to the edge of the marsh to search along the shorelines to the left and right. Seeing nothing different from there, I walked back up to the overlook, by which time JT had retrieved his scope from the car and was scanning the marsh. Presently, he said “What the hell is this?” Then, after a short pause, “It looks like a Tattler”. As I raised my binoculars to look, a duck hunter shot a duck almost directly between us and the bird in question, and it, along with a small flock of BBPLs, immediately flushed. From where it had been standing on a sand bar near the mouth of the Creeks at a distance of roughly 350 yards, it rapidly flew straight away over the harbor in the direction of First Point, Coatue (NNE). JT tracked it with his scope (Swarovski STS 80) while I located it and tracked it with my binoculars (Swarovski 8x30 ELs). When it reached an estimated distance of roughly 1500 yards (measured later with Google Earth), JT offered me his scope so that I might get a better view in case it kept going and disappeared. Almost as soon as I got on it with the scope, it began a wide turn to the right until it was heading back roughly in the direction of the Creeks. It approached to a minimum distance of roughly 7-800 yards (estimated later with Google Earth), and then veered to the SE following a line roughly perpendicular to our line of view, and passed out of sight to our right. My best views were through the scope set at +/-50x during the roughly two minutes it took to pass left to right, into the wind, fairly low and against the sky. My first impression as it began to draw closer was PESA because of the long-winged appearance and the distinct contrast between the dark head and breast, and white belly. But, rather than being brown above like PESA, it appeared to be uniformly medium-gray from head to tail with a white belly and vent. As it got closer, I began to see more details. The underwing was a two-toned gray, a pattern that was produced by the lighter gray remiges contrasting with darker coverts. The darkish underwing was reminiscent of SOSA, though it was not uniformly blackish as it is in that species. Structurally, it differed from SOSA in being more compact (less lanky) and having a shorter neck and legs with no visible leg extension beyond the tail. Its flight was straight and fast, and its wing beats were deep with a regular cadence, unlike the jerky, flicking wing beats of SOSA. As it reached the point closest to us, I was just able to make out a white supercilium, which, along with the otherwise gray head, imparted an “expression” similar to that of a winter-plumaged dowitcher. Also like winter (especially Long-billed) dowitcher, the gray cowl extended low onto the breast and continued along the flanks. The bill was moderately long and straight. I did not detect any color in the bill and the legs were not visible. In direct comparison to the BBPL with which it was flying, it appeared roughly 25-30% smaller, darker, a little more slender, shorter-legged, and longer-billed. Shortly after the bird disappeared from view, I asked JT to open Sibley’s app illustrating tattlers in flight to confirm that they have gray wing linings. In combination with the rest of the features I had seen and heard, this field mark more than any other convinced me that the bird was indeed a tattler. Then JT played audio files of the two tattler species’ calls and we all agreed that the vocalizations we had heard more closely resembled Gray-tailed Tattler. Ultimately, however, we all concluded that identification to the species level was not possible unless it was relocated and heard again more clearly. We continued to search until dark, but, much to our chagrin, were unable to relocate it. Addendum: Relocated, heard, and photographed the following day, 10/19/12, at Sesachacha Pond by Peter Trimble, but it flew and disappeared again. Relocated 10/20/12 on tidal flats at mouth of Quaise Marsh by SP, but it flew and disappeared again. Relocated (don't know by whom) later that day back at the Creeks where it, finally(!), was clearly seen, heard, photographed, and recorded by multiple observers.

Technical information

Model

Canon PowerShot ELPH 310 HS

ISO

1600

Focal length

5.7 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/9.0

Shutter speed

1/250 sec

Dimensions

1508 pixels x 1088 pixels

Original file size

1.02 MB