[greg_evans]

Hello all - what do people think of the bird on the right? It was slightly smaller than the plovers it was associating with.

[PinkoPete]

My starter for 10 - juv Semipalmated Sandpiper (bright phase). White breast up to bill and difuse rufous mottling. White face pattern is good match. What do others think?

[Moosebird]

Sanderling?

[greg_evans]

Initial thoughts were Sanderling or a Stint. Legs were dark.

[Scooby2]

Originally Posted by PinkoPete

My starter for 10 - juv Semipalmated Sandpiper (bright phase). White breast up to bill and difuse rufous mottling. White face pattern is good match. What do others think?

I'd concur. I've never sen one mind.

[Harry Hussey]

I would consider that it was more likely to have been a moulting adult Little Stint, with the finer bill tip, split supercilium, rufous tones below etc.

[birderbf]

Sanderling for me as well. Dark back, lighter head, and a hint of the red breeding colors on the neck.

[PinkoPete]

Accept that Little Stint is more likely but would suggest the amount of white on the cheeks and the more prominent white supercilum could indicate SemiP. It's difficult to make out the pattern on the back to see if there's the white V that would confirm L Stint. I think the strong contrast between the white flanks and dark primary coverts is a little un-stintlike too but would be guided by others with more experience of both species. There are several SemiPs around at the moment, tho none reported in Wales as per birdguides - sightings in Devon, Cork and Mayo in the last month.

[dave123]

its not a semipalmated sandpiper the bird is to large in relation to the plover.
my thought is sanderling or stint

[PinkoPete]

Originally Posted by birderbf

Sanderling for me as well. Dark back, lighter head, and a hint of the red breeding colors on the neck.

Sanderling is a good match- but we're told it was smaller than the Ringed Plovers it was with, which is why I was looking for a smaller bird. Having said that it doesn't look smaller than the RP in the photo...
I would concede that Sanderling is more likely but still have a SemiP hunch if size was noticeably smaller.

[birderbf]

Originally Posted by dave123

its not a semipalmated sandpiper the bird is to large in relation to the plover.
my thought is sanderling or stint

Agreed on the first statement, but Semi Sand is practically the same size as the other stints.

I have had a very hard time finding good photos of any of the contenders togethers together. Here is a Semi Sand with a Semi Plover (which is just slightly smaller) than a Common Ringed. The difference is obvious enough. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattyfioner/1109713601/ . Also note the plover is farther than the sandpiper in this photo for best size comparison.

Again, the plumage patterns are better for Sanderling. This bird isn't a juvenile, which are very neat and delicately scalloped on the scaps (so the reddish cast on the neck isn't attributed to that). Semi Sands in or near nonbreeding aren't very contrasty and are distinctly browner.

[Jeff hopkins]

Semi sands are very grey looking at the moment. I spent Sunday AM looking at tons of them trying to find a reported red-necked stint. No semi is showing that kind of color right now.

Sanderling for me.

[PinkoPete]

Originally Posted by Jeff hopkins

Semi sands are very grey looking at the moment. I spent Sunday AM looking at tons of them trying to find a reported red-necked stint. No semi is showing that kind of color right now.

Sanderling for me.

I bow to your superior experience. Sanderling.

[BobTag]

I'd say the only Semi-P candidate on that photo is the plover...

[cachinnans]

Originally Posted by BobTag

I'd say the only Semi-P candidate on that photo is the plover...

Indeed so! Whats a 'bright phase' Semipalmated Sandpiper anyway?

The bird in question is a Sanderling btw.

[dave123]

Originally Posted by cachinnans

Indeed so! Whats a 'bright phase' Semipalmated Sandpiper anyway?

The bird in question is a Sanderling btw.

it means it went to school and got educated?

[PinkoPete]

Yep ok it's a Sanderling - but btw 'bright' juv semi sand - (according to my Collins guide) look rather a lot like the bird in the picture - But not as much as a Sanderling does! The initial statement that the bird was smaller than the plovers threw me but hey I obviously have a lot to learn. In future I'll read more posts, watch and learn! It's a Sanderling.

[dave123]

semipalmated sandpiper and sanderling for comparsion

[Harry Hussey]

Yeah, I could buy this being a Sanderling alright, after all: to be honest, I was somewhat torn between Sanderling and Little Stint based on the one pic, and I suppose I left the observer's impression of smaller size than the accompanying Ringed Plovers throw me (note to self: never assume anything!).
It would still be nice to see any other pics that there may be, just to be sure. It's not a Semi-P, though...

[Kathpeter]

Best I can come up with is to agree Sanderling/Little Stint. Semi is a bold suggestion but theres one around somewhere at the moment and certainly not a 'miracle'.

By the way someone mentioned Red-necked Stint which since its initial ID has remained a RNS/Little Stint for some days now. Are they so difficult to separate?


Pete.

[greg_evans]

Thanks everyone for your replies on this one. The only thing I know for certain is that waders are never straight forward. :-)