Subject: RBA:Little Stint--SJCR
Date: Aug 11 16:51:04 1995
From: Mike Patterson - mpatters at ednet1.osl.or.gov
RBA Little Stint--SJCR
August 11, 1995
Harry Nehls, Ted Kenefeck and I relocated the mystery bird on
the South Jetty Shorebird Flats at parking lot C, Fort Stevens that I
reported yesterday. We first found it before high tide
(around 1315hr). It disappeared into the roosting flock and
we were unable to relocate it until about 1530hr. At this point
it was quite friendly allowing Harry to approach closely for
pictures. It has no webs between the toes!
The following is a complete description:
Size: slightly smaller than attendent Westerns. Overall, it
appeared rounder and longer legged.
Crown: Rufous-brown
Supercillium: buffy, meeting at the base of the bill and spreading
out behind the eye.
Bill: Short, straight,blunt and black tappering toward
the tip. From head on the bill lacked the typical blobby end
characteristic of Western or Semipalmated Sandpiper.
Ear coverts and nape: Brown-gray lighter and contrasting with
crown.
Chin and Throat were white. Buffy wash at pectorals. Belly white.
Scapulars were dark-brown centered with buffy fringes and some
rufous on the upper margins.
Feathers of the wing coverts were dark-brown centered with buff
to bright rufous fringes. Buffy-yellow edges to the feathers of
the mantle left a pattern impression similar to Least Sandpiper.
The upper mantle was bright brown and rufous.
Primaries projected well beyond the tertials.
Legs: longish black,spindly looking; toes lacked webbing.
Just before our initial encounter, we heard a strange call as
a group of birds flew into the flock. We presume this was the
Stint calling though the call was never repeated. The call was
"chi-rrrit". The second syllable trilled.
IF YOU'RE ON A PHONE TREE DON'T FORGET TO CALL
--
******************************** Americans will always do the right thing...
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * after they've exhausted all the alternatives.
* mpatters at ednet1.osl.or.gov * --W. Churchill
********************************