Wader Challenge Wk.1

PHOTOBOCA WADER IDENTIFICATION CHALLENGE

Week 1

The first point to make when identifying waders from photographs is that you are presented with challenges you are not faced with in identifying them in the field. Often if the bird is on its own in the photograph, with no other species for comparison, you have no way to judge its size. You cannot hear its call and you cannot observe its behaviour, which are fundamental clues to its identification. Also, a key identification feature may not be apparent in the photograph, such as rump or underwing pattern. The photo editing can also (perhaps unwittingly) slightly change the colour or the photo itself may be a pixelated enlargement of a very distant bird, under/over exposed or have other deficiencies that further complicate the process.

Having said that, the photos for week 1 should be relatively straight forward.

Image 1 – Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

The thick upward curved bill and green legs (shanks) on a pale grey and white bird make this easy to identify. The bill is too heavy for a Marsh Sandpiper. It is in full “winter” plumage – remember they are northern hemisphere birds, so when they are here in summer they are in (northern hemisphere) winter plumage.

Image 2 – Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva)

By its structure, this is a Plover not a Sandpiper. It has a large round head, a short straight all dark bill and a large eye. It has a rather heavy build which suggests either a Grey Plover or Pacific Golden Plover. It is separated from Grey Plover by its spangled golden brown upper-parts and its slightly smaller head. Grey Plover is more grey and white than brown and gold and it has a very heavy head and longer and heavier bill.

There is always the possibility that a Golden Plover might be a raving rarity – an American Golden Plover or Eurasian Golden Plover. We have been asked not to confuse everyone by listing the minute difference that separate these 3 species, but if you are interested we would encourage you to look at some overseas field guides.

Image 3 – Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata)

A lovely photo of a bird in flight makes for an interesting identification challenge. It is not often that we have an opportunity to study the underwing and most interestingly, in this case, see the feature that gives the bird its name – its sharp pointed tail feathers. At rest the tail feathers are not as easily seen and it is not something you would normally look for to identify the bird. The key clues are the rufous cap, greenish legs and general orange-brown colouration. The heavy spotting on the breast may lead some to think it is a Pectoral Sandpiper, but the breast spots indicate breeding plumage and would be more heavily streaked with black if it were a Pectoral.

Image 4 – Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

The bright red legs, black breast, shovel-shaped bill (for “turning stones” – or shells) and dumpy body shape, make this identification easy.