[TN-Bird] Re: Upper Douglas Lake - Plovers
- From: Michael Todd <birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "mbsledjeski@xxxxxxxxx" <mbsledjeski@xxxxxxxxx>, "tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, bristol-birds <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 08:47:55 -0700
Friends,
Photos, even pretty good ones, don't always accurately portray a bird. My
impression, as Michael mentioned, was that both Plovers looked good for
Black-bellied, just from the photos. If this bird was seen in flight or with a
wing up, etc, and was clearly a Golden, I wouldn't be shocked. But, if I was
sent those photos and someone just said what do you think.....I would think
Black-bellied. The challenge of birding, got to love it! Birds can be so
subjective from one observer to the next, structurally I think it is better for
Black-bellied as well. I've found the extent of that dark smudge behind the eye
to be pretty variable across the North American Pluvialis ( no experience with
Eurasian Golden).
Mike Todd
McKenzie, Tn
On Monday, September 29, 2014 7:45 AM, michael sledjeski
<mbsledjeski@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Mike Todd emailed after my post yesterday. He thinks the plover identified as
American-Golden is a second Black-bellied, based on "indistinct cap, fairly
short primaries, white bellies, very cold plumage tones". Leslie and I called
it a Golden based on finer head, neck and bill, plus the conspicuous smudge
behind the eye. The cap seemed darker in the flesh.
I wanted to stay for better photos and watch for the black axillaries in
flight, but we were already late for dinner with friends.
Michael Sledjeski
Del Rio TN
Other related posts:
