Ruff still present.

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Posted by Larry Manfredi on April 06, 2004 at 00:13:02:

I saw the Ruff today before noon, it was seen on the left side of the dirt road that heads south between the two impoundments. It flew around with other shorebirds 2 or 3 times during my 2-hour visit.

It can be a challenge to locate the bird because of the large amount of other shorebirds and the vastness of the area. The best way that I found to find the bird is to look for the “Rough” feathers that kind of stick up on it’s back. The wind was blowing and causing some of the Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs to have some of their feathers stick up but not nearly as much as the Ruff. The feathers on the Ruff stick up on their own without the wind blowing them.

Based on the size of the bird and perhaps the amount of feathers “Roughed up” on the back, the orange base to the bill (not easy to see unless the light hits it right) I would say that this bird is a male. In my photos below you can see the size difference with it next to some Dunlin as well as the orange base to the bill. The first picture shows the orange base to the bill the others show the size difference with the Dunlin.

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The photos above are 1.2 mega pixel stills taken through a scope with my video camera they are not the best pictures but do the job.

From Highway 27 take 835 south until you pass a tower on your right side; continue straight onto Blumberg Road go 11.2 miles until it ends at a gate. Just before the gate the road splits, look for the sign for STA-5 and veer right this takes you to the end. The road turns to dirt from paved a little ways up the road from here. Once you walk around the gate take the road about 50 to 100 yards south walking between the two impoundments, one on the left and one on the right. Look into the left impoundment for the bird, which was with a flock of Dunlin and Yellowlegs. The bird has wings so it could be on either side of the road but today and perhaps with the other sightings it has been on the left side.

Larry Manfredi
Homestead, FL
E-mail: birderlm@bellsouth.net
http://www.southfloridabirding.com

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: I saw the Ruff today before noon, it was seen on the left side of the dirt road that heads south between the two impoundments. It flew around with other shorebirds 2 or 3 times during my 2-hour visit. : It can be a challenge to locate the bird because of the large amount of other shorebirds and the vastness of the area. The best way that I found to find the bird is to look for the “Rough” feathers that kind of stick up on it’s back. The wind was blowing and causing some of the Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs to have some of their feathers stick up but not nearly as much as the Ruff. The feathers on the Ruff stick up on their own without the wind blowing them. : Based on the size of the bird and perhaps the amount of feathers “Roughed up” on the back, the orange base to the bill (not easy to see unless the light hits it right) I would say that this bird is a male. In my photos below you can see the size difference with it next to some Dunlin as well as the orange base to the bill. The first picture shows the orange base to the bill the others show the size difference with the Dunlin. : : : <img src="http://southfloridabirding.com/Ruff.jpg" : : : <img src="http://southfloridabirding.com/Ruff1.jpg" : : : <img src="http://southfloridabirding.com/Ruff2.jpg" : : : The photos above are 1.2 mega pixel stills taken through a scope with my video camera they are not the best pictures but do the job. : From Highway 27 take 835 south until you pass a tower on your right side; continue straight onto Blumberg Road go 11.2 miles until it ends at a gate. Just before the gate the road splits, look for the sign for STA-5 and veer right this takes you to the end. The road turns to dirt from paved a little ways up the road from here. Once you walk around the gate take the road about 50 to 100 yards south walking between the two impoundments, one on the left and one on the right. Look into the left impoundment for the bird, which was with a flock of Dunlin and Yellowlegs. The bird has wings so it could be on either side of the road but today and perhaps with the other sightings it has been on the left side. : : Larry Manfredi : Homestead, FL : E-mail: birderlm@bellsouth.net : http://www.southfloridabirding.com :

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