Saturday, April 23, 2011

4th April 2011: Kapar - Knots, Tereks and Turnstones





It's not too difficult to tell Great and Red Knots apart at this time of year! In non-breeding plumage, they are more similar though. Red Knots are smaller, have shorter, straighter bills and shorter, blacker legs.



In flight, Great Knots have cleaner, whiter underwings and a whiter rump.



Not that you can see it in these pictures!



A Great Knot incoming.



Mostly Greats here (I can see two Red, bottom left).



Two Great and two Red Knots in a small flock of Bar-tailed Godwits and a Whimbrel.



Can you find a Red Knot in this pic? (Check the rumps!).



The only half decent pic I got of some of the male Ruddy Turnstones - very bright! The Red Knot behind must be the 'piersmai' race. I think we also get the duller 'rogersi' but these are harder to distinguish.









A few Terek Sandpiper shots. In flight, Terek has a slightly Redshank-like white trailing edge to the wing. However, the lack of leg projection beyond the tail give them a very different shape.

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