I read and look at all these Stint pictures with interest. I think there are some important take home messages from these pictures.
1. In the identification of Little and Red necked ageing the individual will help. Digital manipulation has transformed a rather cold grey plumaged bird to one with warm brown tones! Effectively moving a bird from largely winter plumage to largely summer plumage!
2.As you know, Non breeding adults LS/RNS are virtually identical except for the slightly longer wings and slightly shorter legs producing a relatively more elongated appearance in RNS. The only unique winter plumage feature of Little Stint is that some individuals have a complete grey-brown breast band ; this is said to always be incomplete in non breeding RNS. (In addition, in LS the lores are often a 'dark loral spot' separated from the eye, in RNS it is often the darkest part of the face and extends through the eye – but I suspect this is a generalisation). The juvenile and summer plumaged birds are more likely to be identifiable.
3.There is another species, which can be confused with Little and Red necked Stint. Although never recorded in Hong Kong, it should be considered in any ‘unusual stint’ - namely Semi-Palmated Sandpiper.
4.The bird really looks dumpy/pot bellied but I am cautious about reading too much into the ‘jizz’ of a single photo at an unfavourable angle.
Does Ronaldo think this is an artifact or did it look like this in the field?
5.Do you have any notes or drawings of the primary projection in relation to the tertials and tail. Although digital images often gives irrefutable evidence and captures things in a split second that would take much longer in the field to observe, in some situations, particularly if it is nearly impossible to get a decent image, it may be your only useful tool.
6.The identification of Temminck’s Stint should be relatively straightforward. As mentioned previously the leg colour is helpful if they aren’t darkened with mud.
White outer tail feathers clinch the identification.
Structural features of note include the long tail for a stint, resulting in the wing tips usually falling short of the tail (but not always!)
eRic
[ Last edited by RUWright at 19/04/2011 05:27 ]
