Bahrain Sand Plover - !! (1 Viewer)

[Howard King]

On our w/e of the 26th June was during my usual creep around the shores of Maharraq and came across several Lesser Sand Plover, with what appeared to be a collar.

I managed then to get some poor quality images of one then - today I repeated the journey in a hope to see these birds again and get some better images alas as is often the case I couldn't find any.

Question is - is this just plumage that has bleached out or is this something else

 

[CAU]

Sand Plovers sometimes have a rather clear pale nape patch. I would guess that it's just a case of bleaching, but I'm not an expert.
http://www.tarsiger.com/images/Bruun/lesser_sand_plover_9105.jpg

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

Hi Howard,

I'm more surprise by the very long legs than the pale nape; the bill shape matches normal Lesser Sand Plover... I don't know any similar species except Greater Sand Plover that have longer bill and doesn't have more pale napes


Interesting photo.

Cheers

Valéry

 

[Howard King]

I have seen collars of a fawn (gingerish) nature before but never one as distinctly pale as this before.

Legs didn't think them particularly long especially when viewed against the Kentish that were around - this is the same bird in the center

 

[Dave B]

On our w/e of the 26th June was during my usual creep around the shores of Maharraq and came across several Lesser Sand Plover, with what appeared to be a collar.

I managed then to get some poor quality images of one then - today I repeated the journey in a hope to see these birds again and get some better images alas as is often the case I couldn't find any.

Question is - is this just plumage that has bleached out or is this something else

Hi Howard

Glad you picked up on this. We see quite a number of both Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers with whitish collars. I suspect it may be the result of pale feather bases becoming exposed due to wear and/or bleaching.

See this pic, which shows both Greater and Lesser with pale collars, and this one of a Greater with a white collar.

Not well documented but not that unusual in my experience.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Howard King]

Thanks for the information Dave have yet to see it so well marked on Greater though - incidentally do you have any literature on separating out the various forms ssp of both Greater and Lesser -

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

Indeed... it's the angle of the photo that give me this impression, probably (Kentish P. appear also long legs to me on your photo).

All the photos I used to illustrate a paper (in French) on Lesser/Greater Sand Plover show shorter legs, probably because they are taken from high (I'm tall and use my telescope for digiscoping).
http://www.ornithomedia.com/pratique/identif/ident_art62_1.htm

Sorry for my useless comment

Cheers

 

[Howard King]

Valéry far from being useless I find your input just the opposite very helpful --

many of the shots taken on the shore I am sat in my car, a saloon with the camera resting on the door window frame - the whole of this area is reclaimed and in parts has a nice gentle slope down which enhances the low angle aspect of the pictures besides that no one would ever call me tall

From today a Greater Sand Plover with a Kentish

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

Thanks for your photos and interesting comment. I learn a lot on BF and, notably thanks to you, about Middle-Eastern birds. I love birding this part of the World. Oman in 2006 was one of the most enjoyable trip of my life. I'll be back there or neighbouring countries.

Regards,