?Al Shirmacher asked a simple question to see if anyone could help with a
shorebird identification based on Nathan's photos.? Lets not get bitchy about
it!? Instead lets answer the question and be a little more positive so other
young birders like Nathan feel comfortable about asking ID questions on the MOU
listserv.
"Since this picture appears to show a bird about the same size and
with the same bill as the identified Stilt Sandpipers what makes you think
that it is anything different?"
What makes you think it is a Stilt?Sandpiper? ?To me based on appearance the
mystery shorebird looks like a profile of a Pectoral Sandpiper.? Short neck and
a dumpy appearance.? The bill to me does not look long enough to be a dowitcher
sp. or a Dunlin.? So I am comfortable calling it a Pectoral Sandpiper..? I
based this ID on zooming the photo up on my screen.
"Pictures are needed to support the identification of a given bird.? Since
you gave no information as to what you observed in the field? or what you
think the species is then the picture is of no value in determining the
species.?"
Not true.? A quick example: in the ABA "Birding" in the back pages there is a
photo quiz with photos just like these and birders can make accurate
identification based on these type of photos.? Many of them are not
ornithologists (-;
Also most of my records I turned into to MOURC do not have photos attach to
them. Also many of current members & past members?of MOURC do not have photos
attach to their?bird report/documentation reports.? Its just in the past few
years with the age of digitial photography why you see more records with
digital photos attach to documentation reports but before that many many top
birders in Minn. did not have photos clipped to theirr written reports they
sent in to MOURC.? A lot of reports were based?on written statements and
also?some drawings.
Mike Hendrickson
Duluth, Minnesota
Website: http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/
Blog: http://colderbythelakebirding.blogspot.com/
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