----- Original Message ----- 
From: Bob and Lura Bieda 
To: Nancy A. Brown 
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2007 6:06 PM
Subject: Re: Dead Creek mystery bird


Hi Nancy,


Thanks for the email. 


When I got home I consulted O'Brien and other sources. The bird I saw was indeed a Dunlin. I had forgot, or never knew, that females of some sub-species have very reduced belly patches and heavy streaking along the sides. I believe the bird was an adult female of the sub-species either "schinzii" or "hudsonia". The feathers of the scapulars and wing coverts showed a lot of wear.


If you have Hayman, Marchant and Prater's guide to shorebirds my bird looked most like figure d or i on plate 84, page 204 with the worn feathers I mentioned.


Bob


On Sep 3, 2007, at 1:42 PM, Nancy A. Brown wrote:


  Here is my photo of a Juvenile Dunlin, with a Yellowlegs, photographed 9/27/2003 at Dead Creek at the last drawdown.   Your bird being several weeks earlier could have had more of the black belly spot that haven't molted yet.   Does this look like what you saw?
  <000301c7ee51$c9be6bd0$676a42d8>







Bob and Lura Bieda

Easthampton, MA

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