Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Ruff
Scientific name:	Calidris pugnax
Date:	2/12/2022
Time:	2:15 pm
Length of time observed:	Off and on for about 90 minutes
Number:	2
Age:	?
Sex:	?
Location:	Farmington Bay Unit 2
County:	Davis
Latilong:
Elevation:
Distance to bird:	Initially 300 yards, but as far away as .5 miles
Optical equipment:	Nikon Fieldscope and a Zeiss Scope both with 20-60 eyepieces both 85mm objective lens
Weather:	I recall it was fairly warm (maybe 42f). It was sunny and calm.
Light Conditions:	Initially the bird was side-lit, we relocated it in slightly better light (mostly front-lit) with direct sun.
Description: Size of bird:
(Description:) Basic Shape:
(Description:) Overall Pattern:
(Description:) Bill Type:
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	I was sorting through Yellowlegs (mostly Greater) and I noticed a bird with a more scaled appearance, it was slightly smaller and it had a smaller-appearing head, and a smaller, slightly down-curved bill. It looked interesting and my gut reaction was Ruff, but I have limited experience (I’d only seen one previous bird 20 years ago). We got ourselves into better light and we could make out a smaller bird with dull green legs, a more scaled appearance on the back, a more hunched posture, a small-looking head in relation to its body (I don’t really know how to describe it, but it seems to be a look that Ruffs have) and a smaller darkish down-curved bill. We were pretty far away, but the light was good. At one point when it flushed, we did notice the white U-shap on the uppertail coverts. At one point all of the shorebirds flushed and they settled much further out. While trying to find the bird, we had what at first appeared to be two Ruffs together, but we thought that too unbelievable, so kind of dismissed it. It turns out that later that afternoon, Bryan Olsen and Maximus Malmquist photographed two Ruffs together. (Photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	None
Behavior:	They was mostly associating with nearby Yellowlegs. It flushed a few times when the Yellowlegs flushed and then they sat still preening and sleeping and occasionally feeding.
Habitat:	It was in an extensive mudflat along the shores of the Great Salt Lake
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Yellowlegs have longer bills that are mostly straight or slightly upturned and brighter yellow legs (our individual we saw close had dull greenish/gray legs). Pectoral Sandpiper (which crossed my mind because of the scaled appearance), has a larger-appearing head, a thicker neck, and a densely streaked chest. Stilt Sandpipers are essentially gray in the winter with not many markings on the back. Dunlin are also gray in the winter and have dark legs.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I’ve only seen one additional Ruff (an individual at Corrine Utah in the early 2000s). I’ve had extensive experience with all other shorebirds common in the U.S.
References consulted:	Sibley Guide v2 App, which didn’t accurately show leg color Google Images, which was more helpful with basic-plumaged birds etc.
Description from:	We made some notes on site as we were doing an eBird checklist. Other notes are from memory.
Observer:	Darren Clark
Observer's address:	679 W Stonebridge St, Rexburg, ID 83440
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Steve Butterworth, Cameron Codd, Bryant Olsen, Maximus Mahlmquist
Date prepared:	2/22/2022
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments: