ML608992080

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Behaviors

Foraging or eating

Media notes

Nice comparison of SBDO (right) and LBDO (left) showing clear size difference. Note the different pattering of the tertials, and scaps. In the case of the SBDO this confirms the ID but is arguably less informative for the LBDO

Observation details

I initially passed off the larger of these two birds as an SBDO (the default in saltwater habitat) but several features have needled at the back of my mind, reaching the point where I'm willing to change the ID to LBDO. I think this is the first LBDO I've ever seen at Mecox in some 20+ years of visiting on a regular basis. Compared to its partner, one bird was clearly larger and with a marginally longer bill. At the time I chalked this up to male/female differences. The unmarked tertials are fresh and thus 1st basic, so not very informative. The underwing shots are more instructive. The lesser underwing coverts are very poorly marked creating a white area. The barring on the axillaries appears to be even such that the dark bars are narrower than the white interbars. In most SBDO the dark bars are as thick as the white interbars. I don't recall either bird calling as they fed contentedly. I kept my distance so they did not flush. As for the hunched posture that people cite so often, well I personally just don't see that even on dowitchers identifiable by call.

Additional species

• Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS R5

Lens

RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM

ISO

4000

Focal length

500 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/7.1

Shutter speed

1/3200 sec

Dimensions

2207 pixels x 1655 pixels

Original file size

554.63 KB