Lake Ellesmere wader ID stumper

[andrewcrossland]

Hi folks, 25 of us came across this beast today - it towered over Sharp-tails, Pects and a Sharp-tail. It looked like a big Pect at times, like a Knot at times and like a Ruff most of the time (except for facial markings).

It had a bi-coloured bill.

White supercilium, black eye stripe, whitish at base of bill extending on to cheek.

yellow-green legs

much bigger than Pects and ST's.

ID thoughts?

mystery 3.JPG (61 KiB) Viewed 2942 times

mystery2.JPG (57.84 KiB) Viewed 2942 times

mystery1.JPG (60.62 KiB) Viewed 2942 times

[andrewcrossland]

one more pic :

mystery4.JPG (14.82 KiB) Viewed 2930 times

[Adam C]

Couple more pics here Andrew: It looks so 'Ruffy' here but later on looked as you said like a big Peccy but then I'm wondering if that was even the same bird? If it was it goes to show how different light and size warping when birds are stacked in a line in front of you (ie foreground, background) can get confusing.

[Steve Wood]

Hi Andrew,
are you sure it's not a Ruff thou ?

[Adam C]

But then to throw a spanner in...this is the same bird. I've dropped a shot taken a split second later, on the same zoom, into the same frame. Juvenile ruff could fit but then the eye brow was too distinct and certainly not juv feathers.

[Adam C]

I think what we had was a Male Pec with 4- 5 other females. According to O'Brian, Crossley & Karlson's 'The Shorebird Guide' males are on average 25-30% larger than females. Thats assuming all the rest were females. Weight variation is 50-117gms. Pretty significant!

[Matthias]

Where and when did you see it? Embankment Rd?
Cheers
Matthias

[Jan]

Hi Matthias,
I didn't see the bird as I had left by then, but we were looking at Wolfes Rd on the right of the bay as you look out to the South. There are some other pics that Annette Ching took yesterday on New Zealand Birders facebook page that I think may also include this bird. Wonder if it's a hybrid with Curlew Sand?

[Matthias]

Thanks Jan!

[Steve Wood]

have a look at Annette images. It is a big Pec sands!
A good picture says it all.