Records Committee Utah Ornithological Society Web Site

Common name:	Pacific Golden-Plover
Scientific name:	Pluvialis fulva
Date:	18 Sep 1995
Time:	~1:00 pm
Length of time observed:	About two minutes, on-off, including ~30 seconds through a Kowa Scope at about 150 - 200 feet (saw it longer than that at a greater distance). The rest of the time I used a pair of 10x Leica binoculoars
Number:	1
Age:
Sex:
Location:	Alkaline mudflat ponds south of Willard Bay, east of Harold S. Crane refuge.
County:
Latilong:
Elevation:	~4215'
Distance to bird:	150 - 200'
Optical equipment:	10x Leicas, Kowa scope with 30x eyepiece
Weather:	Clear, sunny
Light Conditions:	Clear, bright sun. Sun was behind bird, about 30-50° to the left. My view was SW with scope, and mostly south with binoculars.
Detailed description of bird:	- Size and general shape of Black-bellied plover, but seemed sleeker, taller (more upright posture) (It may be this posture was due to alarm posture, but alarmed Black-bellied plovers I have seen on 3 continents never looked quite like that). Killdeer next to it was dwarfed. - Orangey-buff tone to face, breast, and back -- most notably on cheek area and eyestripe. Blackish patch on cheek. - Bill approximately as long as head, thick like plover, dark. - No dark patch visible under wings in flight (though my view was not ideal due to angle of sun). Underwings buffy??? Shape of wings appeared very long and slender pointed. - Back speckled. Breast less so. - Almost reminded me of Buff-breasted sandpiper in neck/head shape & large, dark eye on buffy face.
Song or call & method of delivery:	none heard
Behavior:	- Bird flew off farther and farther twice, each time apparently silently and for more than 200 feet. - When flew to a new spot, it momentarily held up its wings upon landing, in manner of willet.
Habitat:	- Pickle salt weed and muddy edge of shallow pool in briny area.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	- Warm, buffy tone on body and, especially, head eliminated other pluvialis plovers. The eyestripe and cheek area were specially rufousy. - The cheek spot was very discrete in manner shown in Shorebirds: An Identification Guide, plate 32.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I have never seen this particular species before. I have seen Black-bellied/Grey plovers on three continents on many occasions. Mark Stackhouse & I saw an American golden plover two weeks later up close (~50 - 75 feet) and that bird had different posture and (startlingly different) coloration.
References consulted:	- Peterson's A field Guide to Western Birds, erd ed. -- in the field - National Geographic Society's Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 2nd ed. -- in the field. - Peter Hayman, et al Shorebirds: An Identification Guide -- at home, confirmation of decision made in the field.
Description from:	Notes Taken at time of sighting
Observer:	David Salas Wheeler
Observer's address:	2196 So. 1000 Ea., Salt Lake City, UT 84106 Phone: (801) 484-7319
Observer's e-mail address:
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Mark Stackhouse, Laura Lackhart
Date prepared:
Additional material:	Photo \| Drawing \| Tape \| Other \| Original Record \|
Other:	Significance of record in this area or the state: There are no other confirmed sightings of this recently-split species in Utah to date. Most members of species migrate winter along California coast or far out at sea.