Short-billed Dowitcher in Northeast Scotland: new to Britain Dave Pullan ABSTRACT Although Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus had previously been on the British List, the species was removed by the BOURC in 1992. A better understanding of dowitcher identification criteria became established in the 1980s, and it was apparent that all previous British records were either Long-billed Dowitchers L. scolopaceus or lacked sufficient detail to separate the two species convincingly. Consequently, the discovery of a long-staying and well-watched juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher at Rosehearty, Northeast Scotland, on 11th September 1999, resulted in the species being re-admitted to the British List.

n Saturday 11th September 1999, C. juvenile Short-billed Dowitchers L. griseus.On Barton, P. Crockett and I. Gordon were some individuals, the diagnostic tertial mark- Olooking for a Pectoral Sandpiper ings were not always obvious unless seen well at Calidris melanotos which had been reported at close range, and I found that the patterning on Rosehearty, Northeast Scotland, when they the inner greater coverts could be more useful. I found a dowitcher Limnodromus on the beach. decided that the Aberdeenshire bird was cer- Viewing conditions were far from ideal and a tainly going to be worth a look, at least as a detailed examination of the bird was not pos- useful ‘experience bird’. Along with James sible, but from the views they obtained, it Smith, who also had experience of both North appeared to be a Long-billed Dowitcher American dowitcher species, I arrived at Rose- Limnodromus scolopaceus and when the news hearty beach in the late morning on 13th Sep- was put out the bird’s identity was given as tember. Initially, there was no sign of the such. As the bird was still present the following dowitcher but after about 30 minutes of day, I began to think about going to see it. That searching I located it about 150 m away, feeding evening, I phoned Paul Baxter to discuss recent at the eastern end of the beach among some bird sightings and the conversation came round rock pools and seaweed. Light conditions were to the subject of the Rosehearty dowitcher, poor, with overcast skies, a strong breeze and which Paul had seen that day. After some dis- threatening rain, but even at this distance, the cussion, he mentioned a slight uneasiness about distinctly capped appearance reminded me of the tertial pattern: on the one hand there the birds I had been watching in Nova Scotia seemed to be some internal markings within the just a few weeks previously. Cautiously, we borders of these feathers but, on the other hand, edged closer and, by the time we had halved the some reference books illustrated variability in distance between the bird and ourselves, it was the tertial patterning of juvenile Long-billed beginning to look most interesting. that might account for this. At this stage, At this distance, through telescopes, we however, no serious doubts were being voiced could both see that the tertials were well- and, apparently, it had been heard to give the marked, with an internal pattern exactly as characteristic call of Long-billed Dowitcher. Short-billed would be expected to show, and Just three weeks earlier, in Nova Scotia, this was also the case with the patterning on the Canada, I had spent some time scrutinising inner greater coverts and lower scapulars. By

354 © British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 354–360 Short-billed Dowitcher: new to Britain now, excitement was setting in; this surely had leave the beach and fly to the harbour at nearby to be a juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher! Being Rosehearty, where it posed brilliantly, just 20 m aware of the enormity of the observation, i.e. a away in perfect light, giving everyone superb first for Britain in northern Scotland, and the views, by far the best that it had shown all day. effect it would have on the birding community, At 17.25 hrs, just before we left, the bird flew a we set about putting together a watertight, short distance and gave a trisyllabic call, very feather-by-feather case. reminiscent of Turnstone Arenaria interpres. Often the dowitcher would be out of view, This was the classic Short-billed Dowitcher call hidden behind rocks or piles of seaweed, or and established the final link in the identifica- would be flushed by dogs and walkers and, on tion chain, neatly rounding off a fantastic day. one occasion, by a Great Skua Stercorarius skua, Fortunately, this megastar took up residence so we spent what seemed like long periods just for two weeks, allowing many birders, probably trying to relocate the bird. Typically, it would over a thousand in all, to travel from all over feed in the intertidal zone: around washed-up Britain to watch and photograph it. James and I seaweed at the rocky edge of the beach, on the returned on 24th September, which turned out beach itself, or along the tideline. It was regu- to be the last day of its stay. Amazingly, the larly accompanied by Common Redshanks same bird, identified by the two missing tertials Tringa totanus, and at high tide it roosted with on the right wing, was found in Cleveland on Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus and 29th September, where it remained in the Common Redshanks on rocks at the eastern Greenabella Marsh and Greatham Creek area end of the beach. Gradually, as the light condi- until at least 30th October, and provided a tions improved, we established that all the second opportunity for those who missed it the plumage features fitted Short-billed Dowitcher, first time around. that Long-billed could be confidently elimi- nated, and although we had not heard it call, we Description were both in no doubt that this was a Short- The long, straight bill, plump body and shortish billed. olive-green legs, the overall shape and structure I put the news out to local birders and to reminiscent of a snipe Gallinago soon identified Birdline Scotland, and by late afternoon, the bird as a dowitcher, while the characteristic between 20 and 30 birdwatchers had arrived. It pattern of the wing-coverts and tertials made was only then that the dowitcher decided to ageing the bird as a juvenile equally straightfor- /Birdwatch Steve Young Steve 173. Juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus, Rosehearty, Northeast Scotland, September 1999.

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ward. In flight, the prominent white wedge slightly uneven buff fringe. Within each feather extending up the rump and lower back from the was a broader, richer buff ‘sub-border’. This base of the tail could be seen, as well as a ‘sub-border’ ran parallel to the entire length of whitish trailing edge to the wings. Making the the outer web of the feather and hooked round final identification as Short-billed Dowitcher into about a third of the inner web. It was was based on the following features: slightly wavy and broken in parts, forming dots on the inner edge and towards the base of the Tertial pattern outer edge. This was clearly defined and formed The two innermost tertials on the right wing a pattern not found in any variation of juvenile were missing, leaving the inner web of the Long-billed. longest tertial exposed, which created a mis- leading impression of a large, unmarked, plain Inner greater coverts grey tertial area. Fortunately, the longest tertial The three innermost greater coverts showed on the right-hand side and all the tertials on the markings similar to the tertial pattern. Against a left side were intact and showed a classic pattern dark background, an uneven golden-buff ‘sub- characteristic of juvenile Short-billed border’ ran parallel to the narrow outer border Dowitcher. and, as on the tertials, was broken in parts. Each tertial was dark brownish-grey, darker Again, this pattern would not be found on towards the tip and bordered by a thin, pale and juvenile Long-billed. Dave Pullan Fig. 1. Juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus, Rosehearty, Northeast Scotland, September 1999.

356 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 354–360 Short-billed Dowitcher: new to Britain /Birdwatch Steve Young Steve 174. Juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus, Rosehearty, Northeast Scotland, September 1999. Inner median coverts nificantly narrower, although this was quite a The internal patterning to the two innermost difficult feature to judge. The tail was broadly median coverts resembled that of the inner tipped white and the overall impression of the greater coverts but appeared fainter. A few of whole tail area was of a lot of white. the inner lesser coverts also showed faint internal markings. Call Only definitely heard to call twice in about five Crown hours of observation, although the bird was A dark brown or dark rufous cap (reminiscent quite distant for some of this time. On 13th of that shown by Sharp-tailed Sandpiper C. September, it gave a fairly quiet call in flight, acuminata) was well defined above the super- comprising three syllables and very like the cilium and fairly obvious, even at a distance. It flight call of Turnstone. On 24th September, it never appeared grey. was again heard calling once in flight. At the time, I noted this as being ‘very Turnstone-like, Supercilium three rolling syllables chu-du-du’. Conspicuously broad and white in front of the eye, and continuing over and behind the eye, A chequered British history where it was duller and streaked. Prior to 1950, it was not appreciated that two species of dowitcher existed in North America, Underparts such is their similarity, and the two were known The breast, flanks and belly had a strong peachy as ‘Red-breasted Snipe L. griseus’ on both sides tone, probably with less grey than would be the of the Atlantic (Witherby et al. 1940; see case with Long-billed. The rear flanks and Editorial Comment, below). Once it became undertail-coverts were spotted with dark clear that ‘Red-breasted Snipe’ encompassed brown, possibly more delicately than on Long- two species, both were added to the British List billed, which may show more in the way of in the 1950s, although there was little under- blotches and bars. standing of the features that could be used to separate them. Consequently, Hollom (1975), Tail pattern commenting on Short-billed, noted that ‘several In general, the white bars tended to look at least of them, and more recent records, are referred as broad as the dark bars, and certainly not sig- to this species’, while for Long-billed, he stated

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that ‘The majority, however, probably refer to proved to be a real rarity on this side of the Long-billed …’.Such was the confusion! North Atlantic and since the Rosehearty bird, Gradually, as reliable identification criteria there have been no further British records. for separating Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers became established in the 1980s, it Distribution and migration was apparent that most claims of Short-billed Three races of Short-billed Dowitcher breed in fell short of the mark. The last records – a bird the taiga forest bogs of North America. The at Cley, Norfolk, in October and November nominate race breeds in northern Quebec and 1957, shortly before the formation of BBRC, Labrador, Canada, to the east of Hudson Bay, and three old specimen records dating from and migrates along the Atlantic seaboard of 1862, 1872 and 1902 – fell during a BOURC Canada and the USA to wintering areas in the review in 1991 and, as a result, Short-billed Caribbean and northern South America. To the Dowitcher was finally removed from the British west, the race hendersoni breeds in Canada to List in 1992. the west of Hudson Bay and migrates With the new criteria established, it was throughout eastern North America to wintering thought to be only a matter of time before an areas along the Atlantic coast from North Car- unequivocal Short-billed Dowitcher would olina, USA, south to the Gulf of Mexico. The occur. In fact, the wait was soon over when, in third form, caurinus, breeds in southern Alaska autumn 1985, a juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher and migrates primarily to the west of the Rocky was found at Tacumshin, Co. Wexford, where it Mountains and along the Pacific coast. This stayed from 30th September until 2nd October. form winters from southern California, USA, This became the first modern record to meet south to Ecuador. Unlike the other two races, the revised criteria and it was accepted as the caurinus has not been recorded with certainty first record for Britain & Ireland. Here it from the Atlantic seaboard (Paulson 2005). remained until the British and Irish Lists were Although the racial identity of the Rose- separated, and Short-billed Dowitcher was, hearty bird has not been established, it seems once again, removed from the British List. that either griseus or hendersoni would be the Unlike Long-billed Dowitcher, Short-billed has most likely to occur in Europe. /Birdwatch Steve Young Steve 175. Juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus, Rosehearty, Northeast Scotland, September 1999.

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Weather conditions and associated palmated Sandpipers C. pusilla, including eight occurrences on North and South Uist, Western Isles, plus a As ever, the process of linking the likely arrival further two on Tiree and two on Islay, both scenario of one particular vagrant to a volatile Argyll. In addition, two White-rumped Sand- weather pattern remains difficult, and many pipers C. fuscicollis were found on South Uist assumptions must be made. If it is assumed that and a Baird’s Sandpiper C. bairdii on North the dowitcher had arrived recently in Scotland Uist, while St Kilda recorded two American when it was first discovered, then weather con- Golden Plovers Pluvialis dominica, a White- ditions over the North Atlantic suggest that it rumped Sandpiper and three Baird’s Sandpipers probably made landfall on 10th September, during this period (Rogers 2000). In addition, after being caught up in a particularly mobile 1999 proved to be the second-best year for Pec- weather situation that developed over eastern toral Sandpipers in Britain (at the time it was Canada and rapidly crossed the North Atlantic. the best on record), with 66 individuals If the bird departed from breeding grounds in recorded in the first three weeks of September eastern Canada on 8th September and migrated (Fraser & Rogers 2001, 2006). Notably, this to the southeast, this would have taken it into a included 12 on 12th September alone, with strengthening airflow associated with a depres- records spread from Cornwall and Sussex, north sion developing over the St Lawrence region. to the Western Isles and Northeast Scotland. This depression sped quickly east across the Atlantic beneath a powerful jet stream. It is Acknowledgments likely that upper wind speeds beneath this jet I would like to thank James P.Smith for sharing in the iden- stream varied from 75 to 95 km/h at an altitude tification and Norman Elkins for providing a useful summary of the weather events leading up to the dis- of 2–3 km, which is the height used by most covery of the Short-billed Dowitcher. long-distance migrant waders. Adding to this, the bird would maintain a downwind flight References speed of around 55 km/h, suggesting it was pos- Fraser, P.A., & Rogers, M. J. 2001. Report on scarce migrant sibly travelling at something like 130–150 km/h. birds in Britain in 1999. Brit. Birds 94: 560–589. At all times during this scenario, satellite images — & — 2006. Report on scarce migrant birds in Britain in 2003. Brit. Birds 99: 74–91. showed a band of thick cloud associated with Hollom, P.A. D. 1975. The Popular Handbook of British Birds. the jet stream, and the wind at this altitude 5th edn.Witherby, London. would have been westerly, backing southwest- Paulson, D. 2005. Shorebirds of North America: the erly off Ireland, to bring the bird into western photographic guide. Christopher Helm/A&C Black, London. Scotland on 10th September. Rogers, M. J., & the Rarities Committee. 2000. Report on The first ten days of September 1999 rare birds in Great Britain in 1999. Brit. Birds 93: brought a significant influx of North American 512–567. Witherby, H. F., Jourdain, F. C. R.,Ticehurst, N. F., & Tucker, shorebirds to western Scotland, including an B.W. 1940. The Handbook of British Birds.Vol. 4. unprecedented influx of at least 12 Semi- Witherby, London.

Dave Pullan, River Cottage, Station Road, Nethybridge, Inverness-shire PH25 3DN

EDITORIAL COMMENT Bob McGowan, Chairman of the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Com- mittee commented: ‘The history of Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers is one of the most complex for any “species pair” in Britain. Although now recognised as distinct species, there was for- merly considerable confusion regarding the status and origins of the short-billed and long-billed forms. In the first half of the twentieth century they were viewed as conspecific by the AOU and BOU, and named ‘Red-breasted Snipe Limnodromus griseus’,comprising two races, griseus and scolopaceus.In 1932, Rowan described a third taxon, hendersoni (Auk 49: 14–35) and was the first to postulate that ‘Red-breasted Snipe’ may comprise more than one species. Further elucidation by Pitelka in 1950 (Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 50: 1–108), along with the description of a fourth taxon, caurinus, led to the formal adoption of two species by the AOU in 1957. ‘In 1952, the BOU published the fourth edition of the Check-list of the Birds of Great Britain and Ireland, which stated that ‘Red-breasted Snipe’ had occurred in Britain on 27 occasions. Bannerman (Birds of the British Isles, 1961) adopted the split and stated that all specimens had been identified as griseus from eastern America, and also that there was apparently no record of scolopaceus from Europe.

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Perhaps Bannerman was misled by the distributions and migrations of the species; counter-intuitively, it is scolopaceus, breeding mainly in eastern Siberia and Alaska, which is the likelier vagrant to Britain, owing to its tendency to migrate eastwards in autumn. ‘In 1961, Pitelka (Brit. Birds 54: 340–342) identified British-taken specimens at the NHM, London, as two griseus and one scolopaceus, the latter a juvenile from Devon, probably in 1801. In a companion paper, Nisbet (Brit. Birds 54: 343–356) systematically reviewed all dowitcher records from the British Isles and presented detailed field identification criteria which indicated that species identification was theoretically possible in favourable circumstances. ‘Nevertheless, identification to species was a significant challenge; of 76 or more dowitchers recorded in Britain by 1968, the majority were ‘dowitcher sp.’ and only six were identified as Short- billed (Status of Birds in Britain and Ireland, 1971). Two post-1958 records were rejected in a BBRC review (Brit. Birds 74: 471). The remaining four were reviewed by BOURC in 1991 and, as the docu- mentation for all was found to be unsatisfactory, Short-billed Dowitcher was deleted from the British List (Ibis 134: 212). Tantalisingly, though, one record existed for Ireland – a juvenile observed at Tacumshin from 30th September to 2nd October 1985. ‘With juvenile Short-billed Dowitchers being easier to identify to species, compared with adults, owing to the distinctive ‘tiger’ markings on the tertials, every juvenile occurring in Britain was closely scrutinised by the finders as the elusive ‘first’ was sought. As there had been a total of 158 records of Long-billed to 1999, the odds did not appear to be in the observers’ favour. Dave Pullan, however, felt that the dowitcher at Rosehearty merited a closer look in view of his recent experience with Short- billed in Nova Scotia. Focusing his attention particularly on the tertial pattern, he quickly realised that this individual showed the classic L. griseus pattern, and the rest is history. ‘Following acceptance by BBRC, the record was assessed by BOURC in 2000. The well-documented and illustrated report and the accompanying photographs left no doubt that this was a Short-billed Dowitcher. Although an attempt at subspecific identification was attempted, differentiation of juvenile plumages across the three taxa is fraught with difficulty and no conclusions were drawn. As escape potential was negligible for this species, the record was unanimously accepted. ‘The rediscovery of this particular individual in Cleveland just five days after its departure from Rosehearty is particularly noteworthy, and testament to the wide ornithological coverage and expertise that exist in Britain.’ Colin Bradshaw, Chairman of the British Birds Rarities Committee, said: ‘After many false starts, it is a pleasure to have a Short-billed Dowitcher on the British List. Fresh-plumaged juvenile birds are probably the easiest to separate from Long-billed but, even in this plumage, there are some birds that can be problematic (such as the bird at Leighton Moss, Lancashire, in 1998, which is discussed at length in Birdwatch 92: 22–24 (see also Birdwatch 94: 13)). In general, the most obvious features are the call and the internal markings to the tertials, scapulars and inner greater coverts. There are, however, numerous other, more subtle features to both shape and plumage that give it a different ‘jizz’ from Long-billed in all plumages. These have recently been discussed in depth by Cin-Ty Lee and Andrew Birch, and their article, together with numerous photo illustrations can be found on the Surfbirds website at www.surfbirds.com/ID%20Articles/dowitchers1005/dowitchers.html

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