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Opinions on these Sand Plovers. Northern Western Australia (1 Viewer)

Dimitris

Birdwatcher in Oz
Hey all,

I photographed these birds a few days ago in north WA. I think that they are Lessers, but confirmation would be appreciated.

In the 2nd, 3rd and 4th image the bird really had a collar in the field, while the other didn't. It also walked with a limp which may explain the different body proportions. I think they are both 'long-billed' Lessers.

Cheers,

D.
 

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  • 'Collared' Sandplover 2.jpg
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  • 'Collared' Sandplover 3.jpg
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The first picture is lesser considering the size of the bill compared to the head length. I would also consider the birds on the other pictures to be lesser, but the bills appear longer indeed, like race schaeferi.

Douwe
 
Bird on left in pic 3, and two birds on left in pic 4 are Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris

I am not referring to the knots for the longer bills, but the sandplovers on the right of picture 2 and 3 also appear to have longer bills than the birds on picture 1.

Douwe
 
Hello all,

The long-billed birds in the images are Grey-tailed Tattlers.

Cheers,

D.

Back to the plovers, the more distant images of the non-breeding plumaged birds are tricky, but the right hand bird at least has the heavy-billed, long-legged look of a Greater.

I wouldn't like to make the call though, unless you have closer pics.

Dave
 
I would be inclined to agree with Dave, that the birds in pictures 2-4 are probably Greater Sand Plovers.
Those in picture 1 are definitely Lesser (Mongolian).
 
I would say the first photo is two LesserSP
For the others, I would call GreaterSP (there are only two birds shown in pictures 2, 3 and 4 right?)
 
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