I arrived at Conneaut Harbor alightly after 4 PM, and there were no other birders in sight. I got down to the business of picking out the reported stint among the other peeps (30 or so present), and had no problem seperating the bird from the others. Plumage characteristics aside, what initially drew me to the bird was its manner of feeding - very frantic and active, yet delicate at the same time. It seemed much more hyper than the other peeps - phalarope-like in it's zest for feeding was what came to mind, but of course it was standing and rapidly picking invertebrates from the surface. In these intial moments of observation, I observed the bird foraging in the water alongside a couple Semipalmated Sandpipers, and it was distinctively hunched over further in profile when feeding than the Semis.
Plumage-wise, this juvenile bird was quite bright and white-faced, and neatly patterned overall. The bright rufous-fringed tertials shone in the excellent afternoon light, accentuated by vivid white "braces" bordering the both lower scaps and mantle. These white "braces" were quite bold and easily-viewable from many angles. The wing coverts were black, neatly edged in white, and the terials dark-centered and edged prominently with rufous. Later, at closer range, a buffy tip could be seen at the and of each tertial. The bird exhibited a small patch of brownish/buffy streaks on the very breast sides, and a pale buffy wash across the upper breast. At closer range, a split-supercillium was visible at the forehead, with a pale streak extending upwards onto the crown. The crown itself was dark-based and streaked with rusty brown and the face white, with neat brown auricular patch. Below the bird was crisp, unmarked white from the lower breast
to vent.
Mantle feathers were neatly edged from reddish to brownish. Bill color was dark, and the legs, while not pale, were a bit more grayish than jet black (perhaps a result of being caked with mud). When closed, the tail was dark-centered and white-edged.
When walking the land, the bird was distinctly longer-legged than Semipalmated. Of greater interest was the structure of the bill - not straight, thick, and blunt-tipped, as in Semipalmated Sandpiper, but rather slightly thinner, finer-tipped, and obviously drooped a bit near the tip. Primary projection was noticeably beyond the tail, at least a primary or two beyond.
At one point, we able to hear a distress call when the bird flushed - a series of chirp notes, but squeakier in pitch than Semipalmated Sandpiper.
Lack of webbing between the toes in quite vital when seperating this species from Semipalmated, and while difficult to see in the field it is most plain as day in some of my photos.
I, myself, have absolutely no experience with stints period, but have spent countless hours observing and studying peeps in Ohio, including untold numbers of Semipalmated Sandpipers, and their range of variation. I feel that this bird is unique from any North American peep, and it is indeed a juv. Little Stint, and I'll be documenting it as such.
And, of course, many thanks to Craig Holt, a truly gifted and exceptional observer.
PHOTOS HERE: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28939750@N05/?saved=1
If the word 'at' appears in the address, replace it with the 'at symbol.'
Good birding -
Gabe Leidy
Cleveland
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