ML615890134

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

*rare: presumably the same bird which has been moving between Dana Point and Laguna Beach since Fall 2023. First reported by Dawn Garcia on 11/15/23, eBird checklist S154507676. First observed flying south from Crescent Bay with two Black Oystercatchers. The three birds swung around and serendipitously landed on the rocks in front of me on the south end of the cove. The bird ultimately flew south and was later relocated on the rock off the southern end of Heisler Park. The following attributes were used to separate from a hybrid of American and Black Oystercatchers, based on the method as described by Jehl (DOI: 10.2307/401683000). Generally, the bird showed crisp and extensive white throughout, scoring high in many categories, based on my interpretation. Upper tail coverts: 2, nearly equal black and white, note variability in covert patternation present, so took a visual average; Tail: 0, black as in H. bachmani, note: I got poor looks at the tail when spread; Chest: 4, black chest band sharply delimited from white of upper chest, as in H. palliatus; Belly: 6, entirely white, as in H. palliatus; Under tail coverts: 4, entirely white, as in H. palliatus; Thighs: 4, entirely white, as in H. palliatus; Greater secondary coverts: >= 3, some white extension, that appear to be >5mm but generally unclear due to uncertainty of these things; Extent of wing stripe: 1, white markings confined to inner 1/2 of secondaries; Underwing coverts: 3, mainly white, this bird showed some brown on lesser underwing coverts and carpal joint; Axillars: 4, white, as in H. palliatus. The above character scoring places the bird into the “typical of frazari” category as described by Jehl. Photos. If anyone cares to dig further into this bird, my extensive number of photos are uploaded here. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DQSgINcXxtXLblxcfbFaRZvBuENyyuRf?usp=share_link

Technical information

Model

NIKON D500

Lens

200.0-500.0 mm f/5.6

ISO

2500

Focal length

390 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/2000 sec

Dimensions

1881 pixels x 1254 pixels

Original file size

2.08 MB