Unidentified wader

[Teal]

I was checking some marshland I shoot over, encouraging signs of mallard and there are some reasonable numbers of Teal already present which bodes well for later on in the season! To my amazement I came up very close to a snipe on the ground, we shoot quite a few each season, but I have never before seen one on the ground. I had a normal pocket digital camera, so you can see how close it is, some 10-15feet away from me. I think it must have come into the Marsh as a migrant on the full moon, and hence was tired and less flighty. What makes it even more remarkable is that I also had a labrador on the lead but neither myself or the dog bothered the snipe, it initially tucked itself up, but then started to wander around and a little later feed. I think this is interesting as snipe are often thought of as nocturnal feeders which rest up during the day.

 

Finally, the oddest thing about it was the shortness of the beak, we do shoot short billed woodcock on a fairly regular basis, but I don't think I have ever seen a snipe with such a short bill. It was definitely not a jack, although we do get jacks. Last season a ringed snipe was shot, and on sending it back it revealed that the bird was had been rung in Northern Italy some months previously - it always struck me as an odd place for a snipe to have been, I assumed that the migrants came from more Eastern and Northern Europe.

[Dr D]

that really does not look like either a common or jack. It almost looks like greenshank. Although, more like some sort of snipe in the second pic.

[scolopax]

Not a snipe or a greenshank.

 

Not my strongpoint the more obscure waders but I think it is one of the sandpipers. or a Ruff, always a good guess is a Ruff if you don't know eactly what it is! but then I don't think this individual is a Ruff either.

 

Need Anser2 to have a peek at the photo, he'll know what it is.

[scolopax]

Googled it

 

Pectoral Sandpiper - good find

[Teal]

You guys might well be right, I looked and looked at it, something did not seem right for a snipe (too white on the underside for a start), but I did not know of anything else that looks like that.

 

I've had a look through RSPB website and think it might be a very unusual wader, but don't want to influence anyone elses decisions I will get the other photographs uploaded for a fuller ID. I imagine it would have become much clearer in flight if it was not a snipe, but as I say I didn't flush it to see.

 

I'm only just looking at the photos, and some of these photographs actually on closer inspection make it much clearer that it isn't a snipe.

[ollie]

It didn't look like a Snipe on those first pics and that last pic just confirms it's not; look at the colour of it's feet, that should have been a give away. Good photos all the same

[Woodcock Magnet]

nice pics with a instant camera mate, have shot a lot of snipe in the past, never had one hang around long enough to have it's photo took, tired or not , up at your feet and jink away a,s,a,p. Am sure the other guys are correct with thier identifications, A,T,B :good:

[poontang]

Googled it

 

Pectoral Sandpiper - good find

 

I'd go along with that

[bullet boy]

Nice pics!Well done.

[bop]

Good pictures!

[docholiday]

Hmmmm got me stumped, I have waded (sic) through collins bird guide and am leaning to greenshank or sandpiper, have asked for help on a bird photography site, will let you know if I can find a definitive ID

[docholiday]

General consensus amongst those who know is a pectoral sandpiper

[Fisherman Mike]

General consensus amongst those who know is a pectoral sandpiper

 

 

Beg to Differ its a Juvenile Common Sandpiper. IMO Although I might be wrong its difficult to tell as some greenshanks have shorter bills and female ruffs are very similar

 

The Pectoral has a distinct "pectoral line" between the white underbelly and the Buff chest feathers. This bird they seem to blend into each other.

 

Im leaning towards a female ruff

Edited September 18, 2011 by Fisherman Mike

[henry d]

Beg to Differ its a Juvenile Common Sandpiper. IMO Although I might be wrong its difficult to tell as some greenshanks have shorter bills and female ruffs are very similar

Sandpiper was my initial thought, however the legs don`t look right and as I havent seen a ruff before...... nice to have something to stretch the grey matter tho.

[Chard]

I agree with Mike, it's a Reeve (female Ruff).

Pectoral Sandpipers are tiny little ****ers, this looks bigger.

 

 

Edited September 18, 2011 by Chard

[P~MX]

I'll go with Sandpiper -- the size alone would tell you it's not a snipe never mind that fact it stood still close & long enough to have it's picture took

[scolopax]

Okay....google Pectoral Sandpiper, then compare the pictures

 

they will look the same, because it's a Pectoral Sandpiper!

[Teal]

I agree with Mike, it's a Reeve (female Ruff).

Pectoral Sandpipers are tiny little ****ers, this looks bigger.

 

I've asked a couple of people I know about it, and this is what I have heard back, which I am inclined to go along with. That said it does seem these small waders are tricky to get a positive ID on, even with apparently good photographs!

 

Ruffs are pretty variable in plumage. The bird in your photographs shows a lot of white on the face (Pecs don't) and also white feathers at the base of the bill and the leg colour is also typical (legs on. Pec don't appear quite as bright as on a Ruff). Also on the Pec, the breast streaks end abruptly and form a clean demarcation between breast and plain belly. (Though this was difficult to see in the photographs).

I have seen Pecs a few times and they rarely look as long-necked as Ruffs. The supercilium and white lines on the back recall Pectoral Sandpiper but these features are also not uncommon in autumn Ruffs.

 

I attach a final two photographs that I have found on the camera of it, in case anything else should come to light.

[Fisherman Mike]

Very interesting post nonetheless....as someone intimated its very dificult to get a firm identification on some of these waders as they all show similarities and even some regional differences.

 

The Picture attached shows the distinct Pectoral line of the Pectoral Sandpiper on the breast plumage.

 

The best way to determine if it is a Pectoral is to give bird guides a ring and say youve seen one...

 

If there are a couple of Hundred twitchers there tomorrow morning they will identify it. :lol:

[Bluestem]

Here's a Wilson's snipe shot in Nebraska, USA. A fine game bird. Is this the same bird you hunt in the UK?

http://bluestemkennels.com/

[Fisherman Mike]

In a nutshell yes, subspecies of the European Snipe.

[Fisherman Mike]

Copied and posted the picture to the Bird Identification Guru at our our local BTO branch and hes come back confidently with a Wood Sandpiper...

 

Just to throw another name in the Hat, Hes usually spot on with his identification and reckons it could have been blown off course during the recent Hurricane from the USA...which explains why it was unwary and approachable....which equally applies to the Pectoral as well of course.

 

I must admit having studies carefully all the photos of the varients in the last few hours it could just be a juvenile Pectoral and the distinct band hasnt moulted in yet.

 

We will never know However great photo, and spot what ever it is. Well done.

Edited September 19, 2011 by Fisherman Mike

[Teal]

Copied and posted the picture to the Bird Identification Guru at our our local BTO branch and hes come back confidently with a Wood Sandpiper...

For what it's worth I do like the idea of it being an American bird blown off course by the hurricane. Perhaps I will claim it as all of the above species, and therefore tick off a considerable number of waders from the bird book in one swoop. I have one further picture of it to give an idea of size, if it were a ruff it's likely to be a female - reeve, due to the size which approximated to a snipe.

[docholiday]

Just goes to show how difficult some of these are to identify, I always struggle with the different waders