ML64098781

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Media notes

Bird was first noticed by Eric Michael and Brad Bumgardner while I went to car to eat. Upon my return, they described and showed me a resting shorebird that was facing us at ~400-500 yards, showing only it's brown/gray contrasting cap and supercillium. They said that it did not fit typical species here, and described it as a gray shorebird, larger than Spotted Sandpipers we were seeing, taller than Turnstones, with streaking/barring down the breast and flanks. I asked about the bill, and they said it was short, drab, eliminating Dowitcher, but I could see a cap. I asked about the leg color and they said they thought they were yellow. My response was this sounds like a Tattler species and that we need to see the legs and bird again. It turned it's head sideways briefly as I happened to be looking through the scope and, being fairly familiar with Wandering Tattler, gave me a very good impression of a Tattler. It then stood up and we had the ID as a Tattler sp. Getting photos to separate from Gray-tailed Tattler was a chore, but we were able to piece it together. The photos show adult alternate streaking throughout the underparts, all the way to the vent. There was only one white spot near the vent. Hayman et.al. Shorebirds says that streaked undertail coverts are diagnostic for Wandering Tattler. We were fortunate to have a relatively early in migration season adult that was still in fairly high alternate plumage. We also could see and photograph a thin, white supercillium, long wing tips and other supporting features to eliminate Gray-tailed Tattler.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Lens

EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM +1.4x III

ISO

160

Focal length

560 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/11.0

Shutter speed

1/200 sec

Dimensions

385 pixels x 257 pixels

Original file size

114.1 KB