Golden-Plover?

Okay, the votes are in. My Golden Plover is a Black-bellied and my Western Sandpiper is a Dunlin. The Plover has a "big head and steep forehead". I'll add more reasons for its identity if they're sent to me. How ever do people learn how to identify shorebirds? The only one I'm good at is Black Oystercatcher.

Addendum: Hendrik Herlyn added some very helpful reasons: "...Overall very grayish plumage, no brownish or golden tones at all. Pacific Golden would show a lot of gold, and even American Golden should have some. Your bird has a rather big head and huge eye. Both Golden-Plovers have smaller heads and don't appear so big-eyed. Black-belly is overall chunkier and shorter-legged. In flight, it shows a pale rump and dark axillaries (not visible in your pics). It also has much bolder white wingbars than the two Golden-Plovers, which shows up nicely in your first photo." Thank you, Hendrik!


Original post:

At Whelan Island today we saw what I called a Golden-Plover. I am confused by the apparent white wingstripe and pretty big bill. Do Goldens have wing stripes or is this a Black-bellied? This bird was a long way off so the photos are not good. It was keeping company with a single peep with dark legs which I presumed to be a Western Sandpiper. (Photo at right.) Click on the photos to enlarge.

More Plover photos:






















Addendum: Do I have these right? Semi-palmated Plovers... (Yes, the pros say I finally got something right.)

Hawk ID HELP!!

While wandering through my old photos from this year, I came across this photo of what I thought at the time was a Cooper's Hawk, which we see here frequently. But now, looking at the photo, I notice that it has uneven tail bands. Could this be a young Goshawk?? Please comment here or email linda@fink.com. Thank you!!!

...Okay, the votes are in. And all three accipiters were named. However, several people gave good reasons why it is *not* a Goshawk. Shawneen Finnegan said:

"Goshawks, both adults and young birds, are more robust, have large pale superciliums that are often flared behind the eye, and the underpart streaking extends down onto the leg feathers and on the belly to the undertail coverts."

The moral of the story is, don't rely on one field mark. All accipiters, I've learned, can have uneven tail banding on the ventral side, depending on feather molt and positioning.

This photo was taken in February. According to Brian Wheeler's book, "Raptors of Western North America", a young Cooper's Hawk will have eye color more yellow (as in this photo) than the other two accipiters. But the most telling difference between Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks is the shape of the head. Coops tend to have flat heads with no abrupt forehead.

I had no doubt when I took the photo that this was a Cooper's Hawk, so I most likely had very good looks at the bird from several angles, may have heard it vocalize and likely saw it fly. Only after looking at the photo many months later, did I question that identification... on the basis of one poorly understood field mark... the unevenly banded tail. Live and learn.

Thanks to all who helped educate me today.