ANSWERS to Uses of Bird Photography, revisited #4

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Wow Geoffrey,

 

I request next time can you give a bit more time. I didn't get to answer you (not that this matters). For what little it is worth, I wouldn't have got to Sanderling (at least not without the time to check books). Your Wood Sandpiper appears to show a black abdomen, that would be confusing. Putting a Greenshank with a Marsh Sandpiper is both instructive and a trap. As they are so similar and the size difference is hard to interpret in that photo. But their beaks are slightly different. 

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Friday, 25 October 2013 1:08 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] ANSWERS to Uses of Bird Photography, revisited #4

The answers to the below, so far as I understand them, are as follows

 

All were photographed at Werribee last week.

 

1.        A Sanderling (one of 3) with a Red-necked Stint on the tidal flats in front of the hide

2.       2 of 6 Ruddy Turnstones on a levee dividing conservation ponds.  These 2 were possibly the most strongly marked, but I cannot speak as to age or exact stage in the plumage cycle

3.       A Wood Sandpiper feeding in company of a Greenshank.  I only picked the Wood by reason of that constant tail-bobbing.  Chequering in wings is also evident.

4.       Greenshank, this time with a Marsh Sandpiper (which can look like a smaller version of the Greenshank)

 

Thanks to all who offered their thoughts.  It was quite difficult, I thought.  However Mark Clayton and Bob Rusk got them all

 

I omitted the abundant Sharpies and the Curlew Sandpipers.  I met Danny Rogers doing some counting.  He pointed out a Pectoral Sandpiper to me, but it disappeared into the veg before I could photograph it.  There were also reports of a  Terek Sandpiper but I didn’t come across that