Parker Regional Park: Baird's Sandpiper, Eastern/Lilian's Meadowlark?, and NorthernxMexican Mallard hybrid?

[Marie Hoerner]

Hi everyone,

This evening after work, I headed to Parker Regional Park to check out a couple of eBird posts on a Baird's Sandpiper.  Although the photos aren't great, the best couple I got are attached and are enough for documentation.

While there, I also what, by my best guess, was a Northern x Mexican Mallard hybrid.  I would love people's thoughts on whether that seems right.

I was leaving because the combination of an overcast sky with the late time made for really poor lighting when I saw a meadowlark that struck me as a little unusual, so I took a closer look and the best photos I could get.  I am reasonably confident that this is an Eastern Meadowlark based on its mostly white malar, paler articulars, darker eyestripe, more streaked sides, and more extensive white in the tail (seen briefly when it flew but not even remotely successfully photographed, unfortunately).  I found it on the east side of the pond in the grassy area east of the dirt trail that circles the pond.  My pictures actually (to my untrained eye) looked closest to Lilian's Meadowlark, so out of curiosity I did research online and found this article by Tony Leukering and Nathan Pipelow on the rare presence of Lilian's Meadowlarks in Colorado.  I would love to know if anybody has thoughts on this.  Eastern Meadowlark is a lifer for me!

Thanks!  

--

mhoe...@uchicago.edu

Ph.D. Candidate

Department of Geophysical Sciences

The University of Chicago

5734 S. Ellis Ave.

Chicago, IL 60637

[Marie Hoerner]

Apologies!  I forgot to include my name and location.

Marie Hoerner

Aurora, CO