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Posted by Brian Rapoza on 20:48:06 09/06/11
In Reply to: Big Shorebird Day posted by Brian Rapoza
I never thought I could confuse a Marbled Godwit with a Long-billed Curlew, especially at close range, but the more I look at the photos I took, that's what I think I've done. When looking at the bird through my scope as it was actively feeding, it appeared as if the bird's bill was deformed, with a big bulge in the middle causing the bill to curve downward. The bill was reddish, with black at the tip, like a Marbled Godwit (but also like a Long-billed Curlew, according to the field guides that I didn't have with me in the field). I don't see that bulge, though, in any of of my photos; it looks like the bill of a Long-billed Curlew. What may have happened is that an illusion of deformity was created as the bird was actively opening and closing its bill while feeding. Or perhaps I was just out in the hot sun a bit too long.
If in fact I did misidentify this bird, my only consolation is that my shorebird total for yesterday was 29 rather than 28.
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