A Dowitcher was waiting out the rain and very high slack tide, at Parker Head Dam this morning. It was with a flock of 11 Grtr Yellowlegs. Presumably this is the same bird that was foraging with Dunlins at nearby Green Point (Atkins Bay) on Oct 8.
Both dates are late for Short-billed Dowitcher in Maine. I decided to review recent literature, and brush up on my own inadequate dowitcher ID-skills, before filing an eBird report with a label on this critter. At this point, I'm more confused than I was before I started. In brief, I can find no reason to call this bird a Long-billed. I know it's a dowitcher because of a visible white stripe up its back (seen in one short flight between perches). Its legs were too short for it to be a greenshank or some such.
So I risked it and filed a report with it as a Short-billed. Photos (taken with scope on window-mount in the rain) here:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S11810249
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