Lesser (left) and greater (right) yellowlegs at the Tank Farm along Rt 7 near Newport, Ohio.During our Washington County, Ohio Big Day, the Whipple Bird Club was fortunate enough to see BOTH species of yellowlegs. Not only that, but as we were discussing the finer points of telling greater yellowlegs from lesser yellowlegs, the birds obliged by standing next to each other in perfect profile for a few moments.
This really gave us a good look at the key field marks: the differences in bill length and size; body size; leg length; and plumage markings on the flanks (of the greater).
It might make birding less challenging, but wouldn't it be great if more birds cooperated like this? I'm talking to YOU sharpies & Coops, scaups, peeps, empids, chickadees, shrikes, ibises (ibi?), and most of the dang sparrows!
6 comments:
What does one grow at a Tank Farm?
And warblers - my bird book has a whole section entitled "confusing fall warblers"!
Patrick:
My birding mentor Pat Murphy named that place the Tank Farm because it's a huge farm field with about 10 giant oil-gathering/storage tanks in it. She named it that in the early 70's and it's been called that ever since.
The muddy low areas are often good for shorebirds.
When our group in WV took a trip to the "city" and watched swallows near the river, they also obliged by sitting nicely, side by side on a wire. (facing the same direction, of course!)
Gotta love swallows!
Tanks for the lesson!
While you are at it, you can get Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers to sit side by side, and Kestrels and Merlins, and nearly all of the gulls, and most especially the empids.
Bill, how much did you have to pay them to get them to do that for you?
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