Their usual site was deserted, so maybe they have left for the breeding grounds already, but some consolation was had (at least for me!) in getting some great looks at a flock of Common Redshanks.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaHZUE5pPqbMU7t4K_hQDaVJFNsspxQcydopQHOEN43RW49RNiyqtaariUaBrSjFjZS6ZPuXk7CrVgE-Q-umSGXFoYVwLhyphenhyphenJFZek9_DBX_9iBsa-wjULWjGHjfsbqLUJdBfCZ6/s400/Common+Redshank_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_DSCN1438.jpg)
Digiscoped
The four races of Common Redshank that occur in South-east Asia are best separated by the pattern of their breeding plumage tertials. This bird shows a tertial pattern typical of the race 'craggi', with very thin dark transverse bars and almost nothing of a central shaft streak.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMr5fM-7G5ajJrZEmiYPnFcpaw6qr0fpIPJqFX28UKv11qXTqvGQjiaehqM79zMidXv90WSTJ6SYfGr77A65xW6M5hWmECi6HB0MkC9KsqdyqnWNa9IULGl8XrX9Z4bsjqMHl/s400/Common+Redshank_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_DSCN1398.jpg)
Digiscoped
Here are two adult 'craggi' coming into breeding plumage.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgJT8z-wJvQ0C-cK_6AOHWCn5U0dlvO8cKUTYysN6nNAlqb2GEEIaOw9Jp1AG43rdVlD6_0unZV321vQ8wrsN77xzrC5ZDcqfXN3uhb-h_QLpeO_iT554mJx0QDw8euvkQsWu/s400/Common+Redshank_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_DSCN1476.jpg)
Digiscoped
And another.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2m6U8gmGNM5QRhKvbrw1-o5jrRa1WN4SZT3zwsg-y1kiCRAtzUm8aBDYLoOi8oxJome_WCZNuVyrTeOYdlw1ITSONumBmNd2S2OBf5UTMc7bp3uQI5wW0ViqGlV0YNPJ3m_3/s400/Common+Redshank_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_DSCN1442.jpg)
Digiscoped
This adult is still in full non-breeding plumage.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYol6kWhrSRhIN6skrNaeAgBJGMNPplfwM2XF8UqE0C766h99MaDFqq0_nzYW1R3PJBj9XZKT9sAIQ_Puqjwh0iKkKOoQykzbFl_0WDU_sdZvZpEC01tXBFtPx5-Oe9nxko0C/s400/Common+Redshank_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_DSCN1393.jpg)
Digiscoped
And this bird, with the white fringed coverts, is a first winter.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QWx_MJOawwgg55P0o2acLmFQS1RSUp8lno0aLdzNdodQFnAxrCX5CEAm8PFUatywnBhaSCCMWwkU067ncYov5Ce2_SxLu-LtfNkAto2ulh144Tf7SBx-koWGUpEPYYUaA35y/s400/Common+Redshank_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_DSCN1488.jpg)
Digiscoped
The very worn juvenile lesser coverts on this bird, and some whitish fringed lesser and median coverts enable this bird to be aged as a first summer. The colour of the fresh breeding feathers is much greyer and colder brown than the adults.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAjo_xxxtl7M5PtBInfFsGhxfL06l5oSNynk8Mgg6HuoB-Yq20cmrJ4ePb3U6WZqtQfe_LZUyB57Z_N_sOZCIqaKjIwULPNqSN_NIL4XuSt8wc9BQ5a_x3cSNj5CxhNfYmSPT/s400/Common+Redshank_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_DSCN1540.jpg)
Digiscoped
A group of 'craggi' Redshanks in various plumages. From right to left: adult non-breeding; first winter moulting to first summer; adult breeding; adult non-breeding; first winter; adult non-breeding.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9hbJO8Y-ARSW6dIE9BI20lzyUH1XD7ZdRfI2joDW8W94M5K8h8wp6MNDqLzBVrV1om2UvINKyB5t2oALvXhRz_QyTY_SKuLAWRqTqLs6rtC90chjbcKKujeI05mLGdqvVLhyphenhyphen/s400/Common+Redshank_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_DSCN1553.jpg)
Digiscoped
The foxy red colour of some breeding feathers is quite distinctive of 'craggi'.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqRMpAbf-5-l3OW9xTH2XmGDrsFtJyag9W9qRRuhtARdeT3k1tKP0JOTwF3Kx0dWd1NEB4F4EjVsyyrlhcxQehBaam81RxVvo8VPC1MrKtqcB5Qv5VnRu8Klh1avpqXm3BFry/s400/Common+Redshank_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_IMG_9263.jpg)
The flock was extremely nervous, and kept flying closer and closer to me!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAVBAkKBaEsbmejnD_p-T8lDC848Mq6GWNYdbKg27sUdcCd0dFDRXrgszd01SG2rudR1t_WQ4Xg6xNTCl69TrSbvhLo5qUZUrJnye4jplrbMlmOPf9wzt3WMHm7Em1MJpNbHG/s400/Peregrine_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_IMG_9243.jpg)
Eventually the reason became apparent, when this adult Peregrine came swooping low over the mudflats. They had already been aware of it for several minutes beforehand. How, I wonder?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMf0-hTZhbkmHLpFFdgbrXnv8Jk93Exwmli1idISjrp1r7_K5_-my41W-ndwlfkjqiGF0M-ls2HlwlfSHXLyLOlOsjilSk-JNEhk86lIXz7NGH77t_m_tHdOg5sC-4Bukxrf57/s400/Peregrine_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_IMG_9248.jpg)
No success this time!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOGH6XcdCwzHhyeeBTV3G2AFT6aWQrw6ydSQ2FCI-XzRqi1pCkP8pRVGjr1avBm2bOIRH5A6ussBS1zJV35bqr7GQMDyIc_HpRHybgIaVTDAYx-uDuNrqwKnN_DGm_jvqUOhV/s400/Chinese+Pond+Heron_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_DSCN1448.jpg)
Digiscoped
Now that the pond herons are beginning to moult into breeding plumage we can tell what they are again! This one's a Chinese Pond Heron.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVXaEC0bd-Ql8Juy_JUS3QP9wM8reKObbTh2Q0TSPVglb3YwDBU57gX0d4HMEAB0xuhNBJ4tZf3ftXbut_jnlxJi3_zAiq-esFcAU-Y_IB62Mh1dOy-wftNyUlQLgoreLl6Dr/s400/Great+Egret_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_IMG_9187.jpg)
A Great Egret among Little Egrets is like a battleship among cruisers!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbSHkftq18rMCsgMaFh4PEN8pOg3WLU689x9KtjNLmUI0LoXQD54Ei5ty2nADKetgb-Kypg2kIsTFvjhfApGZ9hc2cN8SINzKxURBqKS5XT7Xb0JwicLXbZyGn_eQkuPcB2uN5/s400/Great+Egret_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_IMG_9203.jpg)
A Great Egret coming in to land.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCz3fuZ5Ql05LyUy2jN5cNV9F_3p25DLBt47aF0Xmvu7sS9fYHrwhScR7zwU9zCgMgbkBFIeODVwCKZFnz2xF0X8iPqwxeke1_QiELe4_pm-fOwuV99lANhuBlYMUT2cib1p1_/s400/Little+Egret_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_IMG_9215.jpg)
Here's a Little Egret showing off its distinctive yellow toes.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeqOry08jDHXFR2IVvp3OhJ13jrZRl0NqQ6VmWsPjooF9LF58F4oz6OhIaBuj8A9YdUyKIbApPJCVUwV5LPXDwvCVC0A_dKyoBhkPUeTQFQKBUwaQsh04SAS_khtuJrcHF3wv/s400/Little+Heron_Tanjung+Tokong_090309_IMG_9223.jpg)
And a Little or Striated Heron to finish off. The brown-fringed lesser coverts and brownish tinge to the ear coverts and chin reveal that this bird is in its first 'summer' after hatching.
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