ML613948897

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

A very peculiar shorebird that, from a distance of about 300-400m, initially appeared much like a Ruddy Turnstone but with some unique features (sandpiper-type beak, dark finely patterned bib, orange legs, slightly smaller, thinner, and more proportionately elongated overall than nearby RUTU, but with very similar behaviour to RUTU, making me think it could be a hybrid RUTU x Calidris sandpiper species). Upon closer inspection and with much scrutiny combined with comments from some very experienced friends, many variablyintermediate traits between RUTU and WRSA have been noted, including thin down-curved beak (WRSA) with a wedged tip (RUTU), slightly pale base to lower mandible (WRSA), consistently fine barred bib with arrowhead-shaped chest marks extending slightly into the flanks (WRSA) and an upward notch in the bottom of the well-defined bib (RUTU), faint warm plumage behind the eye and on top of the head with faint pale supercilium (WRSA), dark orange legs (RUTU but darker). In flight: clean white across base of the tail (both species), markings on open wings similar to those of RUTU but reduced white, and again, long wings (WRSA). It foraged on the sand with slow steps and deliberate individual pecks, much like the foraging style of both species in question. No vocalizations were noted, but with so many shorebirds present, pinpointing one bird's calls would be very difficult. The story: I originally spotted it while counting Ruddy Turnstones, and noted it as a shorebird that I very unusually do not recognize. I thought I was seeing things, and then spotted it again and again among many RUTU and a handful of other shorebird species, even after a couple of brief flights mixed up the group. Kate Derbyshire arrived shortly after and I showed her, and we double-checked this bird vs any other shorebird species in the world that this individual even slightly resembled… nothing. I phoned a couple friends, who were confused when I suggested the undocumented hybrid option, and without photos they understandably thought I may have been overlooking something too. Kate and I quickly grabbed kayaks from my house and returned, paddled up to the sand spit, and got up-close looks and quite a few photos. Apparently the first ever documented of this hybrid pair, and maybe the first ever conclusively documented turnstone hybrid whatsoever? Because it was already evening and I was unsure of this even being a rarity until getting closer, only a few birders nearby were able to get there to see it on the same day. Two days later it was refound at the beach at Wheatley Harbour and seen by numerous others. Then very interestingly, about a week later, presumably the same bird was refound by Michigan birders, several hundred kilometres north of here, and while their view was distant, they too suspected the same hybrid combination. This very well may be the rarest bird I find in my lifetime. An article will be submitted and published in Ontario Birds journal in 2024.

Technical information

Model

NIKON D500

ISO

800

Focal length

300 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.0

Shutter speed

1/640 sec

Dimensions

1287 pixels x 858 pixels

Original file size

165.58 KB