LOUISIANA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

REPORT FORM

1. English and Scientific names: Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus)

2. Number of individuals, sexes, ages, general plumage (e.g., 2 in alternate plumage):

One individual in basic plumage.

3. Locality: Parish: _Jefferson Davis_______________________________________

Specific Locality: _Corner of La. Hwy 380 X Lyons Road and again at Lyons Road X La. Hwy 14____________________________________________

4. Date(s) when observed: 14 December 2012

5. Time(s) of day when observed: first obs. at approximately 7:40am off and on till 7:50am then again at 9:15am through 10:15am

6. Reporting observer and address: Michael A. Seymour, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808

7. Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): Sam Holcomb, Beau Gregory

8. Other observers who independently identified the bird(s): Later by Mike Musumeche, Jay Huner, Steve Cardiff, Donna Dittmann, Paul Conover

9. Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): Bird front lit by low sun, but conditions were cloudy

10. Optical equipment (type, power, condition): Swarovski EL 10x42 (like new) and Pentax PF-80ED with zoom eyepiece (21-63x)

11. Distance to bird(s): >1000 feet at all times

12. Duration of observation: >1.0 hour off and on

13. Habitat: dirt/mud fields and freshly plowed mud field with thin grass

14. Behavior of bird / circumstances of observation (flying, feeding, resting; include and stress habits used in identification; relate events surrounding observation): Observed feeding and flying. Very active; more active than nearby Killdeer and Black-bellied Plovers.

15. Description (include only what was actually seen, not what "should" have been seen; include if possible: total length/relative size compared to other familiar species, body bulk, shape, proportions, bill, eye, leg, and plumage characteristics. Stress features that separate it from similar species): Bird was originally discovered in back of dirt/mud field feeding near Black-bellied Plovers and Killdeer. Semipalmated Plovers were fairly close as well. Bird was about the same length of nearby Killdeer, but noticeably larger (chunkier?). Bill and body were smaller than nearby Black-bellied’s and thinner. Overall, bird was paler backed than Killdeer, appearing a fairly uniform dirt brown. The back did not appear patterned like that of Black-bellied or American Golden. Belly was white and upper breast and sides of breast appeared washed with tawny brown. When bird left the first location, it flew with flock of a dozen or so Black-bellieds. The bird was very small in comparison to the Black-bellieds. Wings were pale underneath and did not show dark axillaries like the Black-bellieds. Legs appeared gray, but bird was distant.

16. Voice: Not heard.

17. Similar species (include how they were eliminated by your observation): Lack of breast band(s) eliminate similarly sized birds except perhaps some beach dwellers. Back too uniform for Black-bellied or American Golden-Plover; did not show black wing pits of Black-bellied. Too small for Black-bellied and American Golden-Plover. Bill size and shape and body shape eliminated beach dwelling Wilson’s Plover. Size too large for beach dwelling Snowy and Piping Plovers; bill shaped differently. Leg color wrong for Piping Plover. Did not consider Lesser Sand-Plover until asked by Dittmann prior to her seeing bird. I believe Mountain Plovers are larger with a thinner bill. Identification was confirmed as Mountain Plover by Musumeche, Huner, Cardiff, Dittmann, and Conover at second location.

18. Photographs or tape recordings obtained? (by whom? attached?): Photographs by Michael Seymour (attached). Conover and Dittmann have photographs as well.

19. Previous experience with this species: None.

20. Identification aids: (list books, illustrations, other birders, etc. used in identification):

a. at time of observation: Sibley guide. Communication with Dittmann.

b. after observation:

21. This description is written from: _____ notes made during the observation (_____notes attached?);_____notes made after the observation (date:_____); __X___memory; __X___ photos.

22. Are you positive of your identification if not, explain: Yes, at this time.

23. Date:_18 Dec 2012_______Time:__10:00am_____