Plover ID help - Bali, January 2024 (2 Viewers)

[Madlog]

Hi everyone,

I am currently visiting Bali and photographed some Plovers at a Salt Farm near West Bali National Park. Since I am not familiar with these species and they are not in breeding plumage, I am having some problems with ID and would be happy to get some help.
In this region at this time of year (mid Jan), Javan Plover seems to be the most frequent, followed by Greater Sand Plover, Malayan Plover and Kentish Plover.
While I am fairly certain that I identified Javan and Great Sand Plover, Malayan and especially Kentish Plover can be difficult to distinguish from Javan this time of year (mid Jan).
Notes to pictures:
1. Overview with Greater Sand Plover on the far left and Javan on the far right. Size alone distinguishes these 2.
2-3. This bird confused me a bit. The neck collar seems to be complete though a bit buff. Could it be a Kentish Plover?
4. This pic shows a bird with a quite variegated back but the neck collar is incomplete so I think it is a Javan Plover.
5-9. I think these birds are all Javan Plover with pale legs and incomplete neck collar.

If anyone is experienced with these species and can give some opinion, advice or other specific field marks to look out for, I would be very happy!


Cheers,
Stefan

 

[johnallcock]

I have no experience with Javan or Malayan Plover so I'll leave those birds for others. But wanted to comment that the bird on the left in photo 1 appears to be a Tibetan Sand Plover (former Lesser SP) - note the prominent white supercilium extending far behind the eye, pale lores beside bill, paler (but not white) hind collar, white flanks, bill lacking obvious 'nail' and relatively dark legs.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Hi everyone,

I am currently visiting Bali and photographed some Plovers at a Salt Farm near West Bali National Park. Since I am not familiar with these species and they are not in breeding plumage, I am having some problems with ID and would be happy to get some help.
In this region at this time of year (mid Jan), Javan Plover seems to be the most frequent, followed by Greater Sand Plover, Malayan Plover and Kentish Plover.
While I am fairly certain that I identified Javan and Great Sand Plover, Malayan and especially Kentish Plover can be difficult to distinguish from Javan this time of year (mid Jan).
Notes to pictures:
1. Overview with Greater Sand Plover on the far left and Javan on the far right. Size alone distinguishes these 2.
2-3. This bird confused me a bit. The neck collar seems to be complete though a bit buff. Could it be a Kentish Plover?
4. This pic shows a bird with a quite variegated back but the neck collar is incomplete so I think it is a Javan Plover.
5-9. I think these birds are all Javan Plover with pale legs and incomplete neck collar.

If anyone is experienced with these species and can give some opinion, advice or other specific field marks to look out for, I would be very happy!


Cheers,
Stefan

Agree with KP.

Not sure if White-faced occurs in Bali but worth being aware, Red-capped is also, not out of the question.

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

1. Concur with John, Tibetan Sand Plover,
4. Variegated/messy upperparts highly suggestive of Malaysian but difficult to be certain from this image.

Like John, no experience with Javan although I suspect most/all are this sp. Don't envisage buff/orange tones in the collar as an issue. This is where we need input from @James Eaton.

Andy, White-faced has occurred in Sumatra and (north) Borneo, anyway, none in these images. All have nuchal collars so no Red-capped in these images

Grahame

 

[Madlog]

Hi guys,

thanks a lot for this valuable input and explanations. For some reason I didn’t consider Tibetan because it is supposed to be so much rarer here than Greater according to eBird. Rookie mistake and another good lesson!
I attached 2 more closeups of the Tibetan Sand Plover just to be sure, so I would be happy about any thumbs up or comments that this indeed a Tibetan.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any more/better pictures of the putative Malayan so I‘ll leave it as unidentified.

What is the conclusion on the bird in images 2-3. Kentish or unclear. Since they usually have a clean white collar, I am a bit skeptical.

Again, thanks a lot!


Cheers,
Stefan

 

[James Eaton]

1. Concur with John, Tibetan Sand Plover,
4. Variegated/messy upperparts highly suggestive of Malaysian but difficult to be certain from this image.

Like John, no experience with Javan although I suspect most/all are this sp. Don't envisage buff/orange tones in the collar as an issue. This is where we need input from @James Eaton.

Andy, White-faced has occurred in Sumatra and (north) Borneo, anyway, none in these images. All have nuchal collars so no Red-capped in these images

Grahame

I'd say the variegated upper parts are due to it being a juvenile Javan Plover as the bird lacks the facial features of Malaysian.

As others said, other bird + new photos are clearly Tibetan (Sand) Plover.

James