The Ruddy ground-dove had not been seen this morning as of 10 a.m., when I left. Don’t know about after that.
Let me ask about a second bird I saw. When I left Coronado, I went to Robb Field to try my luck there. I first parked in the westernmost parking area. I immediately say a slightly larger-than-a sparrow brownish bird about 25' in front of me, a little on this side of the fence. A bino look immediately ID’d it as a Longspur, probably Chestnut-collared, but not in either full basic or full alternate plumage. I’d like to describe the differences, as that might help to determine if it’s previously reported bird, or a new individual.
It’s face was pure white with a black spot in the ear area, suggesting a winter plumage male CCLO. The main difference was a strong, wide, well defined black band around its breast, which on the lower side changed abruptly into a largely white breast (the breast had some “smudgy” pale coloration towards the flank area). The belly was close to pure white. No drawing in any field guide shows a CCLO with this pattern in the breast area. No trace of Chestnut was seen. Otherwise it matched Sibley’s depiction of an adult non-breeding CCLO.
So, two questions: 1) can all this (especially the well-defined heavy black band) be assumed to be just normal “transition” plumage as the bird changed from alternate to basic plumage?, and 2) does a bird of this description match one ( or more) of those previously seen, or is it possibly a new CCLO?
Thanks for any replies.
