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Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in Mozambique - id comments please (1 Viewer)

G

Gary Allport

Member
Dear All

I refound this bird this morning first located two weeks ago at Macaneta in southern Mozambique when it was first identified as a Pec based on brief views and a few reasonable photos. In the last two weeks it has moulted into Ad summer plum and now shows features of Sharp-T.

I would be grateful for comments on the id. I think the chevron marks on the left flanks clinch it as a Sharp T, and the supporting features of ginger cap, pale supercilium, white eye ring, dark ear coverts, shortish bill with limited yellow base all point in the direction of Sharp T. Does anyone know if the shaft streaking on the vent/und tcovs is clinch for Sharp T - or does pec show that in sum plum? Any other comments on the id would be welcomed. More pics on the Birds Mozambique FB page.

This looks like it will be the first record for Moz and Southern Africa (so is likely to be popular...). Does anyone know of any records in mainland Africa? I know of one in Madagascar.

Thanks

Gary
 

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Nice one! Looks a lot like one. Hint of chevron markings on breast-sides, nice white super & warm, rufous tone to crown & ear coverts are good pointers.
 
Last edited:
andyadcock said:
What, definitely rules out a Pec here Steve?


A
Click to expand...

I would think the combination of features outlined in posts #1 and #3 are diagnostic of Sharp-tailed over Pectoral. Especially the chevron flank markings, mostly dark bill, head pattern (with clear supercilium), rusty crown, eye ring etc.

In addition the breast band of Pec would be more sharply demarcated than on this bird.
 
SteveClifton said:
I would think the combination of features outlined in posts #1 and #3 are diagnostic of Sharp-tailed over Pectoral. Especially the chevron flank markings, mostly dark bill, head pattern (with clear supercilium), rusty crown, eye ring etc.

In addition the breast band of Pec would be more sharply demarcated than on this bird.
Click to expand...

I just read a pdf that says the flanks, not breast sides, should be clean and unmarked, this bird has a few streaks?

Undertail streaking mentioned in post one and clearly visible in pic 2, would not fit a Sharp-tailed which 'should' have unmarked undertail too?

An extract from said pdf

'Juvenile Sharp-tailed has a rich orange-buff breast, recalling a bright
juvenile Ruff, which is unique among Calidris waders. This colour, which
was well illustrated in Witherby et al. (1940), shades into the white lower
breast and belly and extends farther down at the sides by the carpal joint. In
profile, the white belly shows extensively. A narrow collar of very fine, dark
brown streaks encircles the lower throat, and there is a small area of thicker
dark brown streaks within the orange-buff by the carpal joint. The flanks
and undertail-coverts are unmarked white.
Both species may rarely have a faint buff wash on the flanks.'


A
 
Last edited:
Andy, your extract is discussing juveniles. The bird in question is in adult plumage; adult Sharptails have markings on the flanks and the undertail coverts while adult Pectorals do not.
 
Last edited:
Microtus said:
Andy, your extract is discussing juveniles. The bird in question is in adult plumage; adult Sharptails have markings on the flanks and the undertail coverts while adult Pectorals do not.
Click to expand...

Age assessment is a critical stage in the identification of waders - and of course gulls.

RB
 
Nutcracker said:
I'd doubt this bird will still be alive for you to tick in 2060?

8-P
Click to expand...

:t: :king: B :)

I agree my sentence is not clear. I'm updating my lifelist, but as I'm having lifers almost daily in the Philippines, it is a long process... as per 1/1/2018, my African lifelist is at 2060 species... but does not include Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (that I've seen elsewhere, of course).

ok like this ? :cat:
 
Microtus said:
Andy, your extract is discussing juveniles. The bird in question is in adult plumage; adult Sharptails have markings on the flanks and the undertail coverts while adult Pectorals do not.
Click to expand...

This is simply not the case. Adult Pectoral can show a variable amount of flank markings which occasionally(?) includes the utc's. However, its never as uniform/extensive as in summer-plumage Sharp-tailed.

http://www.alanmurphyphotography.com/tax%20list/shorebirds/pectoral%20sandpiper.htm

http://www.cherrug.se/nature/Aves%20-%20Birds%20-%20Fåglar/Calidris%20melanotos%20-%20Pectoral%20Sandpiper%20-%20Tuvsnäppa/index.html

BTW, the OP bird looks to be in transitional plumage rather than full breeding plumage. Anyway, a great record Gary!

Grahame
 
Last edited:
Hi Grahame

Thanks for the links. I find the lit confusing on the topic of the underpart pattern. Sibley illustrates Pec unstreaked on the vent but the photos you linked to show both clear shaft streaking and some arrowhead shaped flank markings too.

You are of course absolutely right that it is moulting in to sum plum - trasitional - and so I am guessing it will get more chevron shaped markings quiet quickly. It's been here two weeks (I 1st id it as a Pec) so I am hoping it will stick.

Thanks for congrats. Looks like first for continental Africa :)

G
 
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