ML646780171

Podrobnosti k pozorování

The vagrant, wintering ad. Common Ringed Plover (CRPL) continues -- 3 months & 1 week since I first found it @ Pier 94 on 9/3. My 11th separate observation of this individual, including Pier 94 and Yosemite Slough; I last observed it @ this location on 11/14. This morning I got lucky and was able to locate it within a few minutes (~8:30) of my arrival, in a relatively close portion of the mudflats. After several minutes of observation and a few photographs under sub-optimal conditions, the Semipalmated Plovers (SEPLs) and CRPL took off as a group and flew to exposed mud further down the slough; I could not relocate it after that. Even when it was in view, it moved around quite a bit and disappeared behind mud clumps and in little troughs. The key marks, in combination, to relocating it this morning among the numerous SEPLs, were: brighter orange legs than most -- but not all -- of the SEPLs; more elongated structure than the SEPLs, with blockier head; much darker face than most of the SEPLs, with no white between the lores and the base of its bill, limited white above its eye, and no distinct eyering (yellowish eyering on many of the SEPLs); longish, all-black bill (some of the SEPLs are showing a bit of red/pink at the base of their bills); dark breastband that is broader on the sides than most of the SEPLs. In scope views and in photos taken this morning I could again see the lack of webbing/palmations between its inner toe and center toe of each foot, with very limited webbing between center toe and outer toe. Careful study is needed to pick out and ID the CRPL among the SEPLs, and photos are definitely a big help. (Pending review and acceptance by the CBRC.)