Short-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus griseus (Gmelin, JF, 1789)
Photo © Kris Webb
STATUS
Nearctic. Polytypic.
OVERVIEW
Formerly known as the Brown Snipe (winter plumage) or Red-breasted Snipe/Sandpiper (summer plumage). However, some of the earlier records are fraught with danger as Latham in his Synopsis (5: 153), the Linnean Transactions (9: 198) and Montagu (1913) in his Supplement all gave descriptions of the Red-breasted Snipe that fit the Bar-tailed Godwit (Newman 1866).
It was not until 1932 when Rowan drew attention to the fact that there were two species of Dowitcher in the New World; all historical records were recorded under Dowitcher with some of the records mentioning the Short-billed race.
Following a paper in British Birds, Vol. LIV. pp. 340-342, by Pitelka (1961) who reviewed the specimens in the British Museum, I. C. T. Nisbet in the following pages (pp. 345-357) of that journal, carried out a review of recorded British Dowitchers resulting in three between 1862 and 1902 being Short-billed and a further one occurring in 1957 in Norfolk. However these four were all rejected later by the BOURC (1992) of which three became indeterminate with one being rejected.
NOT PROVEN
0). 1843 Cambridgeshire No locality, no date, now at British Natural History Museum (Cat. No. 50.11.5.37).
(Lack, 1934).
[Stevenson, 1870; F. A. Pitelka, British Birds 54: 340-342; I. T. C. Nisbet, British Birds 54: 344-345].
History Stevenson (1870 (2): 349) says: 'In Mr. G. R. Gray's Catalogue of British Birds in the British Museum, two specimens are entered as forming part of that collection: - Colonel Montagu's in winter plumage from Devonshire, and one purchased 1850, marked "Norfolk, very young, from Mr. J. Baker's collection." In the absence of any record of this nestling in our natural history journals (although being in immature plumage it would, as a genuine British example, have been peculiarly interesting) I am inclined to doubt altogether the locality assigned to it. The Mr. Baker alluded to is, as I learn from Mr. Gray, "a dealer in such articles", and on such authority alone I cannot certainly include it as an authentic local specimen.'
I. T. C. Nisbet (1961) in British Birds, Vol. LIV. pp. 344-345, says: 'A specimen, labelled "Cambridgeshire 1843" is in the British Museum (Natural History in London (Catalogue No. 50.11.5.37). This specimen has never been recorded in print, but was acquired by the Museum in 1850 from J. Baker a taxidermist of Melbourn, Cambridgeshire. Lack (1934) described him as a reliable naturalist, but many other specimens with British labels which he sold to the museum are highly improbable, and in the absence of independent evidence it seems best to regard them all as doubtful.'
Comment British locality in doubt. Baker notoriously unreliable. Not acceptable.
0). c. 1850 Greater London/Surrey River Thames, Battersea, Middlesex, shot, no date.
(Harting, 1866; J. E. Harting, Zoologist 1889: 416; Bucknill, 1900).
[BOU, 1971].
History Harting (1866: 195) says: 'A specimen of this rare Snipe, in the collection of Mr. Bond, was killed some years ago on the banks of the Thames, near Battersea.'
J. E. Harting (1889) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XIII, p. 416, on Frederick Bond's bird collection, says: 'A specimen of the American Red-breasted Snipe, Macrorhamphus griseus, deserves mention, as having been shot, probably at low tide, on the banks of the Thames, near Battersea, some forty years ago. This is the specimen referred to in The Birds of Middlesex (p. 195), the second Middlesex specimen therein mentioned as "killed at Stone Bridge, on the River Brent", having been deposited by the author in the collection of British Birds in the Natural History Museum, together with other rare wading birds shot by him at Kingsbury Reservoir, amongst others the Little Ringed Plover and Temminck's Stint.'
Bucknill (1900: 303) says: 'I have some hesitation in adding this bird to the Surrey list, as the only specimen upon which its inclusion rests has already been claimed by Mr. J. E. Harting for Middlesex (Birds of Middlesex, p. 195). This example was shot on the banks of the Thames near Battersea, about 1850, when the river was probably at low tide. It was for many years in the collection of the late Mr. Frederick Bond, and is now, I believe, in the Natural History Museum at Kensington.'
0). 1862 Greater London Stonebridge, Middlesex, shot, autumn, now at British Natural History Museum (No. 83.11.10.44).
(Harting, 1866; Harting, 1872; Yarrell, 1871-85; Zoologist 1889: 416; Swann, 1893; Glegg, 1935; F. A. Pitelka, British Birds 54: 341; I. C. T. Nisbet, British Birds 54: 343-356; Swann, 1893; Glegg, 1935; BOURC (1971) Ibis 113: 143; BOURC (1991) Ibis 134: 212).
[BOURC (1992), Ibis 134: 212].
History Harting (1866: 195) says: 'A specimen of this rare Snipe, in my own collection, was shot on the Brent, near Stone Bridge, in October, 1862....The specimen was in autumn plumage, with only a faint tinge of buff upon the breast.'
Howard Saunders (1882-84 (3): 358, 4th ed.) in Yarrell's British Birds, says: 'One in Mr. Harting's collection shot on the Brent in October, 1862.'
J. E. Harting (1889) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XIII. p. 416, on Frederick Bond's bird collection, says: 'A specimen of the American Red-breasted Snipe, Macrorhamphus griseus, deserves mention, as having been shot, probably at low tide, on the banks of the Thames, near Battersea, some forty years ago. This is the specimen referred to in The Birds of Middlesex (p. 195), the second Middlesex specimen therein mentioned as "killed at Stone Bridge, on the River Brent", having been deposited by the author in the collection of British Birds in the Natural History Museum, together with other rare wading birds shot by him at Kingsbury Reservoir, amongst others the Little Ringed Plover and Temminck's Stint.'
Accepted locally for Middlesex (Glegg 1935: 152) .
I. T. C. Nisbet (1961) in British Birds, Vol. LIV. pp. 343-356, says: 'Was in the collection of J. E. Harting and stated by him to have been obtained in October. In the review it was recorded as a Short-billed by Pitelka, but he says the plumage indicates it was shot not later than early September.'
Admitted nationally as the first for Britain (BOURC (1971) Ibis 113: 143).
Comment After another review of Short-billed it was considered not acceptable (Ibis 134: 212). Probably imported. Not acceptable.
0). 1872 Dorset Mudeford, Christchurch Harbour, Hampshire, male, September, now at Chilcomb House, Winchester.
(Kelsall & Munn, 1905; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 270; I. C. T. Nisbet, British Birds 54: 343-356; Cohen & Taverner, 1972; Clark, 2022).
[BOURC (1992), Ibis 134: 212].
History Kelsall & Munn (1905: 320) say: 'Mr. Hart discovered two skins of this bird among some "Sabine's Snipes" in his collection, and he informs us that one was killed on the disused salt-pans at Mudeford, by J. Cull, in September, 1872.'
H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908-09) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 270, under 'On the more important additions to our knowledge of British Birds since 1899,' say: 'Two, said to have been got in the county, are in Mr. Hart's collection, one being dated September, 1872, and the other October, 1902 (J. E. Kelsall and P. W. Munn, B. of Hants., p. 320).'
Comment Identified by I. T. C. Nisbet in the 1961 review, but in another review of Short-billed it was considered not acceptable and presumably is now indeterminate (Ibis 134: 212).
0). 1902 Dorset Stanpit Marsh, Christchurch Harbour, Hampshire, juvenile female, 7th October, now at Chilcomb House, Winchester.
(Kelsall & Munn, 1905; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 270; I. C. T. Nisbet, British Birds 54: 343-356; Cohen & Taverner, 1972; BOURC (1992), Ibis 134: 212; Clark, 2022).
[BOU (1992), Ibis 134: 212].
History Kelsall & Munn (1905: 320) say: 'Mr. Hart discovered two skins of this bird among some "Sabine's Snipes" in his collection, and he informs us that this one was killed on October, 1902.'
H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908-09) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 270, under 'On the more important additions to our knowledge of British Birds since 1899,' say: 'Two, said to have been got in the county, are in Mr. Hart's collection, one being dated September, 1872, and the other October, 1902 (J. E. Kelsall and P. W. Munn, B. of Hants., p. 320).'
I. C. T. Nisbet (1961) in British Birds, Vol. LIV. p. 346, in a further review admits this record as one of three Short-billed Dowitchers.
Comment Identified by I. T. C. Nisbet in the 1961 review, but in another review of Short-billed it was considered not acceptable and presumably is now indeterminate (Ibis 134: 212).
0). 1957 Norfolk Cley-next-the-Sea and Salthouse, 5th October to 3rd November.
(I. C. T. Nisbet, British Birds 54: 343-356, 357 plates 57A-C; D. I. M. Wallace, British Birds 61: 366-372; Gantlett, 1984; BOURC (1992), Ibis 134: 212).
[BOURC (1992), Ibis 134: 212].
History I. C. T. Nisbet (1961) in British Birds, Vol. LIV. p. 357, under 'Appendix,' says: 'The Dowitcher seen at Cley and Salthouse, Norfolk, between 5th October and 3rd November 1957 has been included in Table 2 as L. griseus. Since no plumage details were published with the original record (Seago 1958), and since there are only three other definite British records of this species (Table 1), the evidence for this identification is given below. It is derived from field-notes made by R. P. Bagnall-Oakeley, M. J. Carter and P. R. Colston, field-sketches by D. I. M. Wallace, and coloured films (later examined by the writer) by R, p. Bagnall-Oakeley.
The size, shape, bill-length and plumage pattern are well shown in the various photographs taken by Bagnall-Oakeley and G. des Forges (plate 57). At rest the wing-tips were noted as extending to the tip of the tail (Carter), or slightly beyond it (Wallace); the films suggested that they usually projected a few millimetres beyond the tail (plate 57a), although occasionally the wing was held so that they fell slightly short of the tail-tip (plates 57b and 57c). On 5th October the breast was strongly suffused with warm buff and slightly speckled, but it soon afterwards became almost uniform pale grey (films). The edgings on the upper-parts were described as pale grey-brown (Carter), light-brownish grey (Wallace), or pale greyish-buff (from films); close examination of the wing-coverts (Carter) and scapulars (films) showed that the buff markings were present as submarginal marks as well as tips and edgings. The whitish bars on the tail-feathers were very slightly wider than the dark bars (films). Under tail-coverts were spotted (plate 57b). According to Bagnall-Oakeley, the usual call was a triple note corresponding to the text-book rendering do-witch-er, but it also at times gave a single note; the latter call was the only one heard by Carter and Colston on 19th October, when it was described as a penetrating quip or kip, something akin to the calls of a Little Stint (Calidris minuta) or a phalarope (Phalaropus sp.), although much louder. The bird flew freely between two brackish lagoons and a fresh-water pond.'
In a review of Short-billed it was considered not acceptable and presumably is now indeterminate (Ibis 134: 212).
