New Zealand - North Island (4 Viewers)

[Ian Cockburn]

Any ideas gratefully received. Poor shot taken at distance.
Many thanks. Ian

 

[nartreb]

Plovers in non-breeding plumage... good luck.

 

[Tom Tarrant]

Any ideas gratefully received. Poor shot taken at distance.
Many thanks. Ian

Siberian Sandplover, formerly Lesser Sandplover?

 

[nartreb]

Siberian Sandplover, formerly Lesser Sandplover?

That would be my first guess as well, but I'm rubbish at plovers. These ones are quite plain, which even in non-breeding plumage makes a lot of the "ringy" plovers unlikely, and I get the impression that they're small (so lesser sand-plover rather than greater, perhaps) but I haven't a clue how to confirm that guess and I am not very optimistic that, even given this site's members' encyclopedic knowledge of things like primary projection or foot shape, such signs can be spotted in these photos.

 

[Tom Tarrant]

That would be my first guess as well, but I'm rubbish at plovers. These ones are quite plain, which even in non-breeding plumage makes a lot of the "ringy" plovers unlikely, and I get the impression that they're small (so lesser sand-plover rather than greater, perhaps) but I haven't a clue how to confirm that guess and I am not very optimistic that, even given this site's members' encyclopedic knowledge of things like primary projection or foot shape, such signs can be spotted in these photos.

Not a very 'scientific' reply but I can't think of any other species (..apart from GSP) that would be there in those numbers, most other possible plovers would be in much smaller groups...

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

I'm thinking Red-breasted (New Zealand) Dotterel in non-breeding plumage. I'm not really getting a sandplover vibe.

 

[Tom Tarrant]

I'm thinking Red-breasted (New Zealand) Dotterel in non-breeding plumage. I'm not really getting a sandplover vibe.

I don't have that much experience of them but I think they are usually a fairly 'solitary' species? Not often in flocks?

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

I don't have that much experience of them but I think they are usually a fairly 'solitary' species? Not often in flocks?

I found an article that said they flock during non-breeding season. See here.

 

[Tom Tarrant]

Good research

 

[Dave Boyle]

I think you've got a flock of Banded Dotterels and a single New Zealand Dotterel

 

[Dave Howes]

I think the single bird photo is a NZ Dotterel and the flock are Wrybill, but with the photo quality, it's a bit hard to tell. Where about on the North Island was this?

 

[Tom Tarrant]

I think the single bird photo is a NZ Dotterel and the flock are Wrybill, but with the photo quality, it's a bit hard to tell. Where about on the North Island was this?

After a better look, I agree that the flock are Wrybill

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

That works. Good call, Dave Howes.

 

[Ian Cockburn]

Thanks everyone for identification help.