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Hi all,

Came across this interesting stint today at Lake Ellesmere. I won’t hazard a guess as to the id as an attempt to not sway people one way or another.

Structurally it was the same size as the red necks, with a slightly tail heavy look. A finer slightly longer downcurved bill than the nearby RNS, and an interesting facial, breast and back patterning. It appeared to have a split supercillium, with a bright white chin, and a heavily marked shoulder and upper chest, with strong red tinges, it has coloured tertials, primaries and coverts but a strongly marked back, with appearance of a V but not in the same way as the Little stint ( that was nearby but in a different flock). If also appeared a bit more brick red but not so much as id have expected from a RNS; than the ginger of the little.

I’ve tried to attach as many photos as I thought would be useful. Can try and provide more if needed. Looking forward to seeing everyone’s thoughts!

It is probably another Little Stint, or a weird RNStint or a hybrid even. It wasn't there yest. morning and we watched for over half an hour then. Exciting stuff! Broadbilled Sands are bigger than stints.

All angles (especially frontal view) seems to show a typical RN Stint bib-pattern (whiter throat due to wear/molt). I see no evidence of messy orange in the dark-streaked breast which one would expect for a typical Little in this plumage state. The dark streaks (also best seen in frontal view) would be more of a RN thing than the spots on Little. The bill is thinnish-tipped and curved but not overly long. Posture is a bit hard to assess based on a few photos but bird seems relatively flat-backed and not obviously long-legged compared to other RNs. This alone doesn't rule out Little but with the other features might do so. Finally, the tertials do seem to have some colour in them though it's hard to judge from just the photos. They don't seem as broad or bright as a fresh Little (which is not surprising at this time of year), but I think they are still in the range of RN Stint colouration (Note that they seem much darker/drabber/worn? on the left side, compared to the right side).

So I think adult RN Stint is a good call, though David will know from our private conversations how tricky these birds are (at least for a Canuck like me)!

Russ

Agreed this is another dang confusing bird. The red on the tertial, primary area tips it into little territory for me but from the front..... pure RNS...hmmmm.

Like my dog it's a mongrel in more ways than one!!

Wandered out to Embankment Road today and saw both the Little Stint and David's mystery stint.
Got reasonably good photos of both. I concur with the general opinion that the 'mystery" bird is a red-necked stint in breeding plumage. These photos show the two (red-necked and little) together then one of the little stint on its own.

Brilliant shots Steve! I'm sure Colin would love to put those on nzbirdsonline. Great comparison shots.

Yep all comes clear in these shots. Nice work Steve!