So no evidence that its Orientalis?
Just got back from the bird - distinctly under-whelmed - although fairly distant views there appeared to be few supporting features for slender-billed curlew as oppossed to runty curlew QUOTE]
Sure you were looking at the right bird?!? I could name many features pro-SBC - namingly; Size, bill length and shape, tail pattern, underpart colouration and pattern (or shape) of spots/ovals on left flank, dark crown appearance, dark loral area, slightly more obvious supercilium, overall pale ness, very white underwing!! Question: Why isn't it a SBC?
Also, the term 'runt' or runty'! where did this come from? Somebody point me in the direction of a reference to 'runt' curlews! I think people need to just have a perception of how variable numenius sp. can be. Do 'runt' birds really exist? How many 'runt' birds have people come across in their normal day to day birding? In 16 years of birding. I've seen no 'runt' birds.