Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus), McHood Park, Winslow, Navajo County

This Short-billed Dowitcher was first seen on an NAAS trip led by Eric Hough on 27 September 2008 and was photographed and definitively identified by Lauren Harter on 02 October 2008 in McHood Park near Winslow.  Directions:  It takes about 45-50 minutes to drive to Winslow from Flagstaff. McHood Park is 5 miles southeast of Winslow off of State Route 99. From Flagstaff take I-40 east to Winslow and get off at the first exit (Hipkoe Ave.). Follow the signs for State Route 87 (the route to Payson). Once on State Route 87, just south of Winslow look for the brown signs for McHood Park/Clear Creek Reservoir just south of town and turn onto State Route 99.

Short-billed Dowitcher is an uncommon fall migrant in Arizona with a peak passage in late August and early September and a few individuals continuing to pass through into about the middle of October.  All wintering dowitchers in Arizona are Long-billed. 

Short-billed Dowitchers that occur in Arizona are most likely of the very bright midwestern hendersoni race.  Juveniles of this race on average are the most brightly colored of the juvenile dowitchers.  They are usually very brightly colored, crisp looking and can have very orange-buffy breasts compared to the dull look of all juvenile Long-billed Dowitchers, which look like a slightly buffy version of the adult Long-billed in winter plumage.   The bird in these photos has the uniformly fresh, contrasty, bright buffy plumage that is typical, although not diagnostic, of the hendersoni race of Short-billed Dowitcher. These very bright individuals are easy to tell from dull juvenile Long-billed Dowitchers.  Other juvenile Short-billed Dowitchers are not this bright and are best told by the diagnostic "tiger-striped" tertials.  These tertials were noted in the field on this bird, although they are not obvious in these photos. 

02 October 2008, photos by Lauren Harter