Edwin’s explanation does not make one of his birds an adult and the other
a juvenile, and unless seen together, I am not persuaded that there were two
birds.
It is interesting how observers see and analyze apparently the same
bird differently.
In an attempt to determine whether or not there are, or were, two birds
present, Dion just posted a description of the bird he saw on 22 Feb. I saw and
photographed it just four days earlier and our descriptions don’t entirely
concur. But it doesn’t necessarily mean there are two birds present. We differ
as follows, in the order of Dion’s deliberations.
1) The outermost (longest) primary, p10, if not
obviously worn, was old, very faded and more pointed than the others. That’s
what formed the pale line sometimes visible along the lower edge of the closed
wing. Remainder of the primaries was new or growing, so it was in active wing
moult. This is contra BWP for any age so explain that if you can!!! I have
two theories.
1)
2) I saw no black speckling on the crown but noted white
mottling.
2)
3) The bill was long, but by my judgement, not particularly slender for a
plover. As Edwin said, longer and heavier than adjacent Red-capped Plovers.
Using photographs, I reckon it is at least a quarter longer than adjacent
Red-capped Plovers. This places it clearly as the race dealbatus.
Nominate alexandrinus, would, on average, be only 10% longer. As I
interpret BWP, change in bill length is abrupt, no overlap, NOT clinal.
3)
4) Although the off-white neck collar was continuous, it varied in
width.
4)
5) As the supercilium was very diffuse, especially distally, there was no
distinct limit or cut-off. From some views, it faded just behind the eye, whilst
from others, the pale area extended to the rear of the ear-coverts. This might
explain Edwin’s different impressions.
5) Two other points. Although the
lores weren’t black, they were darker than the forehead, cheeks and chin. There
was pale fringing on the tips of many of the larger wing coverts [and
scapulars].
