ML519897061

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Behaviors

Flying

Observation details

Foraging in an open lawn/pasture, this bird was found yesterday, 31 December 2022, by Dave Tucker around 1 p.m. I watched the bird until dusk, at which time the lapwing and Killdeer appeared to squat down and rest in the field near the northern edge and not far from the gravel driveway. They sat motionless on their bellies in the grass there until I left (about 16:30). The lapwing foraged in plover-like fashion with stops to search for prey, snatch, and then run to a new location and repeat. At each stop, the lapwing slowly tapped one foot on the ground. It would use one or the other leg but might have favored using the right leg (check video for how often it switched). I did see the bird capture 1-2" long grubs (larvae of some sort). I also observed it scratch over its wing as noted on the May 2013 bird. In flight, the underwings were gleaming white on broad black wings. The outer three primary tips had white spots. At the base of the upper tail coverts, I could see a cinnamon band bordering the olive-green rump and back. The base of the tail, more extensively on outer rectrices, and presumably distal upper tail coverts were bright white. The tail was broadly banded black from middle to tip. The under tail showed an orangish-buff wash over the crissum. The wispy, erect crest feathers often split into two. Face tinged pale buff and crossed by two or so black lines. Breast broadly banded black. Rest of underparts white. Legs dull pinkish-red. Beak black. Eyes dark. Based on wingtip pattern, crest length, and head+throat pattern, this is mostly like a first year male. The wing tip pattern fits both adult female and juvenile male but not juvenile female. Given the bird is in formative/first winter plumage, it should key out as a male. See Meissner, W., C. Wójcik, P. Pinchuk, and N. Karlionova. 2013. Ageing and sexing series 9: ageing and sexing the Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus. Wader Study Group Bulletin 120 (1): 32–36. This would be the 9th record for Maine and part of an incursion first noted last month, December 2022, when five together were found in Aroostook County, and another at Thomaston, Knox Co. Maine's 1st record was 1927; its 2nd and 3rd records were ~10 years ago (Nov 2012 and May 2013); and then singles in 2014, 2021, and then four records in 2022 (one in April, and then the three in December continuing into January here).

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Lens

EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

ISO

1000

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/400 sec

Dimensions

4800 pixels x 3198 pixels

Original file size

8.77 MB