Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Ruff
Scientific name:	Calidris pugnax
Date:	13 October 2024
Time:	3:51 PM
Length of time observed:	0
Number:	1
Age:	unk
Sex:	unk
Location:	Utah [ "pond next to the Pacificorp Easement (1325 West) in Farmington"]
County:	Davis
Latilong:	40.961698, -111.915890
Elevation:	4210 Feet
Distance to bird:	176 Feet
Optical equipment:	Nikon Coolpix 950
Weather:	No wind.
Light Conditions:	Sunny, no shade.
Description: Size of bird:	About the size of a Lesser Yellowlegs
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Shorebird
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Brown and white
(Description:) Bill Type:	Thin and straight
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Brown Upper feathers, with light trim Tertials brown with whitish trim I did not see the feet. Upper legs orange. Only the top half of the legs visible. Flanks whitish with brownish blotching. Vent area whitish Bill appears black. Thin, probably about as long as the head, appears to be straight I did not get a good view of the front or head. Eye appears to have a white ring Throat white (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	None observed
Behavior:	none observed
Habitat:	In the shallow water of a muddy bar in a brackish pond.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Greater And Lesser Yellowlegs: eliminated by feather pattern. This bird has brown feathers with a clear light border, as opposed to the dashed-line look I see on my photos of Yellowlegs' feathers. Pectoral Sandpiper: Legs more orange and chest and head more plain than a Pectoral Sandpiper. Rounder, less complex feather pattern than the Pectoral. Larger than the Least or Semipalmated Sandpipers.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	No exerpience with Ruff. I have been watching and studying Yellowlegs' and was taking pictures to identify between Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs.
References consulted:	Merlin, ABA "what's this bird?" FB page, Sibley's guide to Western Birds of North America, E-bird, Audubon website, Birds of the World website.
Description from:	From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Julie Baker
Observer's address:	15 S 760 E
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:
Date prepared:	21 October 2924
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	I only became aware of this this bird when looking through my photos of Yellowlegs'. The only information I have is from the 3 shots I have of it.