Nikolas (and birding-aus)
On the Tattlers, I presume you refer to the bird on the left of the pair
photographed by Tun Ping Ong 3 weeks ago that was posted to Eremaea
(http://www.eremaea.com/sightingphotos/1/16679.jpg)? There was another paler
looking bird, which may have been a possible Wandering in the same area as
the definite (ie very grey) Wandering Tattler which had a pale lower
mandible and more white about the head/neck, like the picture. I saw that
one first but thought it was probably a Grey Tailed, and got onto the darker
bird a few minutes later as it was juggling a crab in an open pool and
didn't look for the first bird again.
As for the possible Sanderling, it looked like there was some darker
smudging in the carpal area when it was at rest, but I never managed to get
the bird feeding/resting with the sun behind me to have a good look at the
finer details. (I was slowly working my way round into the right position
when the paraglider spooked them.) My attention was primarily caught by the
size, then the paleness about the head and shoulders and the absence of the
scalloping/feather definition that the Stints showed. The flight views I
got were when it headed for the rocks and disappeared.
Cheers
Tom Wilson
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