Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Ashley Estuary Canterbury

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kelly111
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2016 2:42 pm

Re: Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Ashley Estuary Canterbury

Postby kelly111 » Wed Nov 20, 2019 12:08 am

andrewcrossland wrote:Hi Kelly, below is a map of the Ashley Estuary - I wonder if you give some details for folks of the spot where you saw this bird, or even copy it and mark on it the spot? That would narrow down searching for a small needle in a big haystack?

many thanks!!

Ashley estuary map1.JPG
here you go..
rBZ9CWgs.png
rBZ9CWgs.png (2.52 MiB) Viewed 2551 times
wazzagonewild
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Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2018 9:33 pm

Re: Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Ashley Estuary Canterbury

Postby wazzagonewild » Wed Nov 20, 2019 7:44 am

Thank you for the map. I had no luck finding the bird in 90 minutes of searching around low tide this morning. Of note were 5 lesser knots, a wrybill, red-necked stint, and the sanderling. Lots of bar-tailed godwits, banded dotterels and black-fronted terns too. No sign of the little egret either.
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philbattley
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Re: Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Ashley Estuary Canterbury

Postby philbattley » Wed Nov 20, 2019 9:43 am

So why is this not a female ruff (reeve) in a hunched pose? My concern is the relative bill length, as this bird's bill seems longer than any photos I've seen of buff-breasted, in which the bill length is about the same as the distance from the bill to the rear of the eye. Reeve bills are more like the length from the bill to halfway between the eye and the back of the head, and this bird seems to be more in that bracket. Thoughts?

Phil
Davidthomas
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Re: Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Ashley Estuary Canterbury

Postby Davidthomas » Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:52 am

Hi Phil,

I agree that it’s at the longer end of the spectrum for buff breasted but I don’t think it’s downcurved and fine enough at the tip for me. The wings aren’t entirely covered in scalloped coverts and it has quite a long primary projection. And the eye looks quite big and black relative to the face. But happy to be proven wrong.

The following is a pretty nice graphic:
Image
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philbattley
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Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 2:21 pm

Re: Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Ashley Estuary Canterbury

Postby philbattley » Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:53 am

I'd rather I was proven wrong and you right!
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philbattley
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Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 2:21 pm

Re: Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Ashley Estuary Canterbury

Postby philbattley » Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:57 am

Actually, the hooks on the black subterminal bands on the larger scapulars seem pretty good for Buff-breasted. Now for someone to refind it and photograph it with its wings up or in flight. ;)
kelly111
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2016 2:42 pm

Re: Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Ashley Estuary Canterbury

Postby kelly111 » Wed Nov 20, 2019 11:21 am

philbattley wrote:Actually, the hooks on the black subterminal bands on the larger scapulars seem pretty good for Buff-breasted. Now for someone to refind it and photograph it with its wings up or in flight. ;)
I have a photo of it with its wings out in flight. Will put up tonight
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RussCannings
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Re: Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Ashley Estuary Canterbury

Postby RussCannings » Wed Nov 20, 2019 12:06 pm

Yep, definitely a Buff-breasted. Tibia-length alone is a big give-away. The small rounded head with a big looking eye is great for Buff-breasted whereas juvenile ruff/reeve (which this bird would have to be if a ruff based on the broad buffy edging to feathers and buffy underparts) have dark eye-strips and a head stripe. Ruff/reeves are also just longer-necked and winged with hump-backs and their bills are longer than this bird. All of the Buff-breasteds I've seen in my life have been fresh juvs in Aug-Oct so would need to look into this a bit more regarding worn juv v adult. Would be interested to hear from anyone else with experience aging these early (boreal) winter birds in South America or elsewhere. Flight shots will be helpful in nailing age.

Great find kelly!
kelly111
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2016 2:42 pm

Re: Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Ashley Estuary Canterbury

Postby kelly111 » Wed Nov 20, 2019 1:35 pm

RussCannings wrote:Yep, definitely a Buff-breasted. Tibia-length alone is a big give-away. The small rounded head with a big looking eye is great for Buff-breasted whereas juvenile ruff/reeve (which this bird would have to be if a ruff based on the broad buffy edging to feathers and buffy underparts) have dark eye-strips and a head stripe. Ruff/reeves are also just longer-necked and winged with hump-backs and their bills are longer than this bird. All of the Buff-breasteds I've seen in my life have been fresh juvs in Aug-Oct so would need to look into this a bit more regarding worn juv v adult. Would be interested to hear from anyone else with experience aging these early (boreal) winter birds in South America or elsewhere. Flight shots will be helpful in nailing age.

Great find kelly!
Hi yes it was a great find but it was my 10 yr old son jamee who found it.he is so over the moon about it.but good on him..
Davidthomas
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Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 10:05 am

Re: Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Ashley Estuary Canterbury

Postby Davidthomas » Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:22 pm

I bet! for all the birding I do I’m yet to really come across something major haha. Just gotta be in the right place at the right time!

Please make sure you fill out this form at some point Kelly with your photos etc and submit it to the Records Appraisal committee off BirdsNZ as it’s important that this record becomes formalised. especially because it’s the second record for the country! And will forever etch your sons and your name in the birding Records ;)

https://www.osnz.org.nz/webforms/online-reporting-form

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