ML41432281

Age and sex

Juvenile, Unknown sex - X

Media notes

This is the enhanced version of this image. It shows more clearly than Photo ML41432271 the pale fringes of the wing coverts, which are evidence of considerable retained juvenile plumage. Some molt of juvenile plumage is evident. On these bases this individual is judged a first-winter bird.

Observation details

Two versions of two photos of the same Mountain Plover are attached herewith; thus, a total of four images. To restate this, I am providing two versions of each of the two different views of this individual. These views are all cropped from the full frame, but one version of each view is that which came out of the camera, which in both cases was a bit overexposed. I have supplied both the original unprocessed version of each and one processed electronically to provide a more realistic version of each in the interest of (a) making the processed version more representative of the reality out there on the field as seen visually and (b) allowing far easier study of the details of the plumage on the wing coverts. The latter was important because I wished to show the viewer a clearer image so that the age of this individual better can be assessed. I have judged that this individual continues to show juvenile feathering on many of the wing coverts, as shown by the pale feather fringes that typically are evidence of such an age. However, the bird clearly is molting out of the juvenile plumage, so I would judge it to be a first-winter bird.

Technical information

Model

COOLPIX P520

ISO

400

Focal length

142.6 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/5.2

Shutter speed

1/1250 sec

Dimensions

1279 pixels x 959 pixels

Original file size

313.93 KB