American or Pacific Golden Plover?

[AndyB]

American considerably rarer than the more expected Pacific.
Seen today in LA. Hopefully it sticks around for the weekend:
http://www.pbase.com/qubit/american_golden_plover

[W. Ruskin Butterfield]

Here are five photos of the bird:
http://www.pbase.com/qubit/american_golden_plover .
As of 2004 only two accepted by committee in Spring and both Salton Sea area.

W.

[AndyB]

Yes, thanks W, have updated my link.

Would be interested in anyone's opinion regarding primary length and shape of white patch on breast sides which would seem to favor American.

However, does the contrast between yellowish spots on mantle and white spots on coverts and white vent trouble anyone? Also, can't quite tell in the flight shot, but do you see feet protruding? Does it appear little too lanky and large-billed for American?

[alan lewis]

re the tertials - isn't at least one missing on each side? I can only see two on a quick look - if the longest is missing, it will affect the primary extension! Certainly a pitfall - anyone else like to comment?
Jizz wise looks like PGP to me

alan

[Colin Key]

as well as structure, wing-length points to PGP too - the primaries do not project beyond the tail at all.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o100/Passarinhos/AmericanGoldenPlover.jpg

That just is not true. I have watched both dominica and fulva at close quarters and the projection of primaries beyond the tail tip varies enormously with the posture of the bird. The projection of the wing tips in this bird (in some of the shots) together with the broad white breast/shoulder patch must surely make AGP a possibility? BUT, I would not stick my neck out on this one!

Colin :twitcy:

[Josh Jones]

Don't AGPs have black undertail coverts? This one has white, but perhaps the bird hasn't moulted these yet.

[Sherpa]

My immediate thought was American GP. The overall grey tones to the plumage are suggestive of that species. On closer inspection, the long primary projection is apparant on all photos, it is not a result of posture. Even if there were missing tertials, this is one very long winged bird. Far too long for Pacific in my humble opinion. Nice find.

[forktail]

Colin, thanks for spotting my howler and saving my blushes further.

my post should have read the polar opposite of what it did. In my defence, I was eating a very tasty salad at the time and looking out of the window for a fly-by Red-foot.

F

[Jrhough1]

The bird looks like a fairly typical American Golden Plover in structure, upperpart color (rather grey) and wing projection. Legs do look rather long in some photos but don't appear to project past the tail in the flight shot (the angle of the shot doesn't make it very clear, but I think I'd be able to make out something if there was a bit of ectra leg sticking out).

At this time of year PAGP should be rather pristine and in full summer plumages since they go through a body moult earlier than AGPL.

[Colin Key]

Colin, thanks for spotting my howler and saving my blushes further.

my post should have read the polar opposite of what it did. In my defence, I was eating a very tasty salad at the time and looking out of the window for a fly-by Red-foot.

F

Wouldn't mind a "Red-footed salad" myself at the moment!! :err: This has long been my bogie-bird - I spent many hours (nay, days) at Stodmarsh in Kent where the occasional (and in those days they were few and far between) R-f F would be found amongst the Hobbies. Never made contact - it was always there "yesterday". They seem to be everywhere in southern and central Europe at the moment (including quite large "flocks" in the U.K., if Bird Guides is to be believed!), but not in Portugal. :cry:

Colin :beer:

P.S. Still find calling a Pacific or American GP very difficult, unless it is in breeding plumage.

[AndyB]

Many thanks for all the comments.

The finder David Ellsowrth has posted a video of the bird here:
http://surfbirds.com/video2/view_video.php?viewkey=e9753913f4d435b53c30
Just for comparison's sake for jizz, here's a Spanish vagrant Pacific (leggier, pot-beilled, shorter-winged, larger-billed look):
http://surfbirds.com/video2/view_video.php?viewkey=85b952b62c14a3a175a6

Here's another Pacific in a similar looking plumage to the American in question:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5TcsA-UiXs

Again, the longer-billed, longer-legged, shorter-winged and more pot-bellied look of Pacific is apparent.

Thanks again

[Colin Key]

The video by David Ellsowrth is excellent, but this is an odd bird. I was about to change my mind from American to Pacific, but those undertail coverts almost make it P. apricaria!!

I am sure there will be more discussion on this.

Colin :puzzled:

[David_Ellsworth]

Thanks Andy, for your informative comments on the bird's field marks on LACoBirds, and for bringing the discussion here. I've registered now so I can join in.

Colin, thanks for the compliment.

The video I posted on Surfbirds is only meant to be a preview. I posted the high-definition, high-quality version here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/uzbfwl
Please, if you comment on my video, tell me which version you're commenting on. (Andy and Colin — please tell me.) If there's a reason you're intentionally not viewing the high-quality version, or if it doesn't work for you, please tell me.

[Colin Key]

David,

I downloaded the high quality version which is a very large file and took over eight minutes on a fairly fast broadband connection. Unfortunately I cannot play it on my iMac - I get an error message saying that Quicktime needs an additional component in order to play the video, but it won't tell me which one!

Colin

[David_Ellsworth]

Colin,

Let's talk about it here (http://www.surfbirds.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7123). I don't want to pull this thread off-topic.