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shorebirds in Victoria from 2 days ago (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter canadagurl123
- Start date
Dave B Smith
Well-known member
I'd say the first peep is a Least Sandpiper (see the yellow legs) and the third bird appears to be a Spotted Sandpiper. I'll leave it to the others to confirm or correct these and hopefully help with number 2.
Tannin
Common; sedentary.
When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Wandering Tattler.
Sharpies are by far the most common sandpiper-sized wader in Australia, particularly southern Australia, and should normally be the first species you think of in this part of the world. Look for the rich brown colouring on the top of the head - that's a pretty sure indication that you have a sharpie.
The beautiful grey of the Wandering Tattler is less frequently seen, but by no means rare. I seem to see them more often in warmer parts of the continent, though maybe that's just because I don't visit the Victorian coastline much. There is, from memory, another tattler also found in Australia, but much less often and usually much further north. Can't remember which one.
Caveat: waders are not my cup of tea.
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Wandering Tattler.
Sharpies are by far the most common sandpiper-sized wader in Australia, particularly southern Australia, and should normally be the first species you think of in this part of the world. Look for the rich brown colouring on the top of the head - that's a pretty sure indication that you have a sharpie.
The beautiful grey of the Wandering Tattler is less frequently seen, but by no means rare. I seem to see them more often in warmer parts of the continent, though maybe that's just because I don't visit the Victorian coastline much. There is, from memory, another tattler also found in Australia, but much less often and usually much further north. Can't remember which one.
Caveat: waders are not my cup of tea.
djleahy
Well-known member
Well agreed, but I believe these are British Columbian Victorian birds, in which case Least Sandpiper is a pretty likely suspect.
canadagurl123
Well-known member
No I'm definately from Canada. Wish I could go to Australia although.
Dave B Smith
Well-known member
dj,
Looking at bird 3 again after seeing your post, I still feel might be a Spotted Sandpiper. The plumage contrast, light below and dark above, as well as a "solid" color above fit adult nonbreeding Spotted pretty well where a juvenile or nonbreeding adult W. Tattler would not show this plumage contrast and the adult breeding should show heavy barrring below. What do you think?
Looking at bird 3 again after seeing your post, I still feel might be a Spotted Sandpiper. The plumage contrast, light below and dark above, as well as a "solid" color above fit adult nonbreeding Spotted pretty well where a juvenile or nonbreeding adult W. Tattler would not show this plumage contrast and the adult breeding should show heavy barrring below. What do you think?
canadagurl123
Well-known member
Yeah I'm actually thinking spotted because I saw a tattler earlier in the day and one thing that's to small to be a tattler. It was bigger than the least but definately not what my book says which is 11 inches.
djleahy
Well-known member
I think you're right, Dave. Looking at the picture more closely, you can make out the colors better than I saw at first glance, including the contrast you note. The grayish breast that I saw could easily be a shadowed white. There was something about the pose of the cocked head of a yellow-legged bird standing in the rocks that just looked like a tattler to me at first view, but I think the picture shows otherwise. Maybe if I had more experience with spotted sandpipers (more than none, that is) I would have picked up on it!
Tannin
Common; sedentary.
Woops!
Bahhhh.
Good Queen Vic reigned for far too long ... there are "Victorias" and the odd "Albert" everywhere in the former colonies, including more Lake Victoras than you could drink out of with your boots on.
(Posted from my office in here in .... you guessed it ... Victoria Street.)
Bahhhh.
Good Queen Vic reigned for far too long ... there are "Victorias" and the odd "Albert" everywhere in the former colonies, including more Lake Victoras than you could drink out of with your boots on.
(Posted from my office in here in .... you guessed it ... Victoria Street.)
djleahy
Well-known member
That clinches it, then! A nice find, CG.
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