Identification and Aging of Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus)

 According to most literatures, there are currently 5 subspecies of  Lesser Sand Plover (LSP). They are as follow:

i) Charadrius mongolus mongolus - breed in more easterly countries eg Siberia

ii) Charadrius mongolus stegmanni - breed in more easterly countries eg Siberia

iii) Charadrius mongolus pamirensis - breed in more westerly countries 

iv) Charadrius mongolus atrifrons - breed in more westerly countries

v) Charadrius mongolus schaeferi -  breed in more westerly countries

According to Avibase website:

C.m mongolus - from East Siberia & Russian Far East; winters from Taiwan to Australia.

C.m stegmanni - from Kamchatka to Chukotsk Peninsula; winters to Australia

C.m atrifrons - from the Himalayas & Southern Tibet; winters from India to Sumatra

C.m schaeferi - from eastern Tibet to Southern Mongolia; winters from Thailand to Greater Sunda

Here are some of the basic feather tracts of a LSP view from  above.

Aging of Lesser Sand Plover (LSP)

Unlike many passerine / song birds which shed their juvenile plumage and molt straight into adult plumage, LSP like most waders are birds that molt twice per year i.e they would have two adult plumages - adult winter and adult breeding plumage.

According to Dave Bakewell, a local expert on shorebirds/waders here, "an adult LSP in non-breeding plumage has an irregular appearance of the wing coverts as compared to the neat, similar-sized coverts of a juvenile". This is because juvenile feathers develop all at the same time and as such they tend to look neat and uniform in shape and size. Adult feathers on the other hand often appear haphazard due to the different stages of growth or wear.

The above is a juvenile LSP

Inexperienced observers often tend to identify scruffy birds as juveniles and neat ones as adults, but it's more often the other way around, said Bakewell. As juvenile feathers are smaller and uniformly aged than adults, they typically look neat and "well arranged".

In autumn, adults can easily be told from juveniles by the uneven trailing edge of the wing, caused by new feathers growing out and the presence of "unmolted", ragged-ended old feathers.

According to Bakewell, all waders except juveniles (of most species) undergo a complete moult in the autumn, like the one above and below.

However there are a few exceptions. I have noticed that some adults do keep some of their post summer plumage like these ones below:

According to Bakewell, those which still have traces of their summer plumage are most likely LSP.

Identifying Lesser Sand Plover (LSP)

There are a few notable field marks which have been identified by literatures to described a LSP or more importantly to differentiate them from a Greater Sand Plover (GSP). The important characteristics are;

i) the shape and length of the bills

ii) the shape and length of the body

iii) the color of the legs

iv) the size of the eyes

i) the shape and length of the bills

LSP's bill is generally shorter and more blunt tipped than GSP. However, it is also reported that there are some subspecies of GSP which bill has similar length to a larger LSP. When this happens, literature suggested that we look at the bluntness of the tip of the bill.

Apparently, the more westernly/southernly LSP of the C.m schaeferi race for example are characterised by relatively longer bills than the northern/eastern C.m mongolus LSP.

ii) the shape and length of the body

Structurally, a GSP has longer body than a LSP and in flight has broader wings. There are times, however, a photo may caused some disillusioned like the photo below:

I have initially thought that the bird on the left is a GSP which appears to have longer legs and body but alas both of them are actually LSP as pointed out by the waders experts here.

iii) the color of the legs

The color of the legs of a LSP is generally darker, ranging from black to grey while in a GSP, it is much paler, ranging from yellowish to light grey.

 

iv) the size of the eyes

The size of eyes of a LSP is relatively smaller than a GSP.

In terms of plumage, most GSP would complete its feather molt during their southern migration, according to Bakewell. The one in the middle of the photo below is a GSP. The photo was taken in August 2020. 

 Hope you have enjoyed reading the above writeup as much as I have bringing it to you !

Shorebirds of Kuala Selangor - September 2020

From June to August this year, I have been surveying the various shorebirds in the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. I thought a break would be nice but when opportunity came knocking, there is no time to waste. This time the location of survey was along the coastline of Kuala Selangor.

Waiting for the tide to recede

As the tide receded further, the first batch of birds came. These were mainly small 'Calidris' and 'Charadrius' which can be seen at the right side of the photo.

No waders yet but the tide has already more than half way down. Wonder where have they all gone to?

Finally they came in numbers. They were all scattered along the mudflats and not concentrated like those in TAT or Kuala Muda sites. The length of coastline between Kuala Selangor to Klang is about 43km or 27 miles. So I guess they could be anywhere along this coastline.

Here you could see a variety of shorebirds, foraging harmoniously along each other. I guess there are enough food for all at this place. Most of them stayed quite a distance from where we are though.

Nevertheless I did managed to get some decent shots from this trip as well.

Here is a juvenile Lesser Sand Plover showing its typical peech-coloured plumage as described by many literatures. Since its a juvenile, this bird is most likely from the far flung/remote areas of the Far East and not an over-staying individual.

A Lesser Sand Plover - showing new feathers at its scapular area. Most likely a Tibetan race, transiting from breeding to non-breeding plumage.

Another fine looking adult Lesser Sand Plover and a crabby !

Some of them have molted into their winter plumage like this one here.

A comparison of a juvenile Lesser Sand Plover (right) and an adult (left).

Charadrius species of waders are small but they can fly very fast. Not an easy subject for a 'Bird-in-Flight' (BiF) shot.

At times skirmishes can and do happened on mudflats

Here you can see a Lesser Sand Plover approaching another Lesser Sand Plover

Then they started discussing on something.

The one on the left is raising its body to show that it is larger and stronger.

...and suddenly all hell broke loose between them! (note: the victor is the one at the bottom which stood its ground)

Here is an adult Terek Sandpiper. The dark coloured bill and black carpal bar are indicative signs of a breeding Terek SP as described by some books.

When watching waders, it is not easy to get a lifer / a rare bird. But as a consolation, when one sees a bird with a flag or ring, it can be considered an eureka !

The bird on the right spots a "Blue over Yellow" flag. According to the flagging protocol, this Terek Sandpiper has been banded in Bohai Bay, China which is one of the most strategic and important rest area for Artic birds migrating along the EAAF routes.

A close-up on the flags.

A Terek Sandpiper trying to find a spot to land on a 'hostile' land.

 I have yet to see a "Little Stint" but this Red-necked Stint provides a  cool relief.

A comparison of a Red-necked Stint in post breeding plumage (2 cy) and another in winter plumage.

Possibly another wader from the Far East example Siberia. This is a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper.

In this trip we saw quite a number of Eurasian Curlews and Common Redshanks too.

This is an Eurasian Curlew showing its clean white underwings, long bill and wing span.

This Eurasian Curlew, however, has a shorter bill.

While this Eurasian Curlew has a shorter wing. Three different profile/variations of a same species.

A Common Redshank flying in

This photo has a lot of "noise" but I think it is still pretty decent though.

A much sharper photo of a Common Redshank

This is more like a common looking Common Redshank.

There were also terns and other interesting shore birds sighted in this trip too.

Common Tern

Unlike the Ssp S.h Longipennis (photo below) which has a dark bill and black legs, this is the Ssp S.h minussensis which shows a red bill with black tip and red colored legs (Allen J & Alan Pearson, 2012). These features are only distinguishable during breeding season. Note also its pinkish belly !

A Common Tern (Ssp S.h Longipennis)

Whiskered Tern

Showing its smudgy looking under belly

Along with "Little Terns", these Whiskered Terns are gregarious birds which like to follow fishermen boats for an easy pick of fishes.

These are Black-winged Stilt which hardly forage in intertidal flats. Seen here for the first time. Local fishermen were equally astonished with their presence.

Love how Dr. Wells described their leg color as putty-pink.

As mentioned earlier, nature can be very unpredictable and hostile if you are not careful.

Here are two mudskippers casually chatting away and seemingly unaware what is coming their way for one of them.

Then out of no where, a Little Egret swooped in to take one of them. Gone in just a few minutes. Nature can be unforgiving at times.

This Grey Heron brought some cheers to the proceedings.

It can be found from the Americas to Europe and right down to India, South East Asia to China and Japan. Truly an international bird.

Another majestic and iconic bird at this place.

Lesser Adjutant aka 'Burung Botak'

Painted Stork

This time we saw 60 of them foraging near the jetty.

THE END !

"The person who starts the story has to finish the story" 

(Jose Mourinho, 2013)