Long-billed Dowitcher and American Golden-Plover – Tadpole Rd

Initially identified as Short-billed Dowitcher, identification was changed to Long-billed Dowitcher upon further review of dowitcher identification and the photos below.

This afternoon, Bill Oyler and I checked Tadpole Rd for shorebirds. Shortly after we arrived, Bill spotted a dowitcher foraging. While I was watching it in my scope, a second dowitcher walked into view and then both birds instantly flushed. I never got a good enough look at the second bird to say what species it was for sure, but the first bird I was able to get good looks at as well as photos, and it is a Long-billed Dowitcher. There were also Pectoral Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeer, Wilson’s Snipe, and one lone juvenile American Golden-Plover. Long-billed Dowitcher was a new Centre County lifer for me as well as a few other area birders that stopped to check it out, like Tim Schreckengost. Bill and I also stopped by the Polled Hereford farm ponds and there were Northern Shovelers and Blue-winged Teal there, as well as a very wet and angry juvenile Cooper’s Hawk.

Long-billed Dowitcher - adult at Tadpole Rd

American Golden-Plover (juvenile) and Long-billed Dowitcher (adult) at Tadpole Rd

American Golden-Plover (juvenile) and Long-billed Dowitcher (adult) at Tadpole Rd

Long-billed Dowitcher at Tadpole Rd

Cooper's Hawk - juvenile at the Polled Hereford Farm Ponds