Another Calidris for ID (1 Viewer)

[MountainMan]

Got another puzzle at the Alice Springs Sewage Ponds to solve. Sorry but the quality of the images this time are really bad as I cannot get close to this wader unless I swim thru 70 meteres of shit water with my 15kgs of gear.

This Calidris flocks with a group of Red Necked Stints (can be seen for comparison of size). It appears slightly bigger, and the beak and head are obviously different (longer decurved dark beak), with dark legs.

Any suggestions for the ID?

Rgds, Eric

 

[jforgham]

Got another puzzle at the Alice Springs Sewage Ponds to solve. Sorry but the quality of the images this time are really bad as I cannot get close to this wader unless I swim thru 70 meteres of shit water with my 15kgs of gear.

This Calidris flocks with a group of Red Necked Stints (can be seen for comparison of size). It appears slightly bigger, and the beak and head are obviously different (longer decurved dark beak), with dark legs.

Any suggestions for the ID?

Rgds, Eric

Hi Eric,
Going by decurved bill, white supercillium and darker legs, I'd plump for Little Stint. However, legs in some pictures don't appear to be dark enough for little, but this maybe the light. In pic 5 I think I can see green tints which may point to temincks. Need to look more closely when I have a little more time. Sure someone will come along to give definitive answer.
Jono

 

[hannu]

Bill looks quite similar as in Broad-billed Sandpiper ?......

 

[lostinjapan]

Bill looks quite similar as in Broad-billed Sandpiper ?......

I'd go for Broad-billed Sandpipier too, with a double crown stripe and very pale grey and white plumage. Bill is way too long for any Little Stint.

Sure I will be corrected though!

Sean
Hiroshima

 

[RedBishop]

Broad-billed for me to, the bill shape is clearly seen at pic #5 and the striped head is seen at all images.

 

[JANJ]

Broad-billed Sandpiper (sibirica).

JanJ

 

[RedBishop]

JanJ, are you aware of any site showing images of both the sibirica and the nominate form ?

 

[Ilya Maclean]

sibirica:

http://orientalbirdimages.org/images/data/broaderbilledplover.jpg

nominate:

http://www.westmidlandbirdclub.com/images/gallery/NuttallS/BBSand20040607.jpg

or

http://i.pbase.com/o4/56/636856/1/57054733.Myrsnppa.jpg

Note the brighter rufous fringes to feathers on upperparts and broader lower supercilium and narrower upper supercilium on sibirica. I don't see that much evidence of rufous fringes to the scapulars in your photos, but the tertial fringes do appear to be quite rufous. The extent of rufous may be a plumage / moult feature, something I wouldn't claim to know that much about in broad-billeds. I think they do go greyer in winter though. The superciliums are certainly consistent with sibirica. I am almost certain its a broad-billed sand. Aside from the double supercilium, the longish straight bill, with a downward kink at the end is a dead give-away.

Cheers

Ilya

 

[MKinHK]

Broad-billed Sand - the dropped tip of the bill is a really good feature.

 

[JANJ]

Difficult to to separate sibirica and falcinellus, despite the differences mentioned above. Often with less distinct splt supercilium, but check these:

http://homepage2.nifty.com/stints/calidris/calidris-1.html

[http://www.wwfchina.org/birdgallery/birdpic.shtm?booknum=375 (two pages)

http://www.tarsiger.com/index.php?p...ed+Sandpiper%2C+Limicola+falcinellus&lang=eng

The Broad-billed from Oriental bird images is a juvenile as the one from Sweden and the middle one looks like an adult and the subject bird a first winter

JanJ

 

[Ilya Maclean]

Difficult to to separate sibirica and falcinellus, despite the differences mentioned above. Often with less distinct splt supercilium, but check these:

http://homepage2.nifty.com/stints/calidris/calidris-1.html

[http://www.wwfchina.org/birdgallery/birdpic.shtm?booknum=375 (two pages)

http://www.tarsiger.com/index.php?p...ed+Sandpiper%2C+Limicola+falcinellus&lang=eng

The Broad-billed from Oriental bird images is a juvenile as the one from Sweden and the middle one looks like an adult and the subject bird a first winter

JanJ

Yes, should have mentioned the ages - thanks for doing so Jan. I think the subject bird hasn't fully moulted into 1st winter plumage, hence there is still some evidence of rufous fringes to the tertiaries consistent with juv birds.

 

[Dave B]

Difficult to to separate sibirica and falcinellus, despite the differences mentioned above. Often with less distinct splt supercilium, but check these:

http://homepage2.nifty.com/stints/calidris/calidris-1.html

[http://www.wwfchina.org/birdgallery/birdpic.shtm?booknum=375 (two pages)

http://www.tarsiger.com/index.php?p...ed+Sandpiper%2C+Limicola+falcinellus&lang=eng

The Broad-billed from Oriental bird images is a juvenile as the one from Sweden and the middle one looks like an adult and the subject bird a first winter

JanJ

You can see some poor shots of non-breeding sibirica BBS on my blog
here

Dave

 

[jforgham]

Really useful info here. Never come across a b.b. sand so, no experience. Or....maybe seen loads and put them down as Little stints!! However have learnt loads here, thanks.
Jono

 

[MountainMan]

Thanks to all for your inputs and comments. This is most likely the first record of a BBS at the Alice Springs Sewage Ponds.

Thanks again to all.

Eric

 

[Chris Benesh]

Thanks to all for your inputs and comments. This is most likely the first record of a BBS at the Alice Springs Sewage Ponds.

Thanks again to all.

Eric

Hi Eric,

I was just thinking that. Probably a great record being so far from any coastal area of Australia. Wow!

Chris