Common / Spotted Sandpiper? (1 Viewer)

[Russlac123]

Hi could someone help with ID please. I took this photo in Essex and presumed it to be a Common Sandpier, but I' ve since noticed it has a spotty pattern on its wings and yellow legs. The other pics I have of Common Sand all have dark / black legs. It looks very like a picture of Spotted Sand on Surfbirds website. Any help would be appreciated. thankyou

 

[KenM]

A picture would help!

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Nothing attached.

Stephen

 

[Russlac123]

Forgot to attach!

Wally! 8-P Sorry Not best pic quality, cheers

 

[Mr Patience]

Looks common to me. I would expect spotted to have longer primary projection and plainer flanks.

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Legs don't look yellow either on my screen.

Stephen

 

[KenM]

The tail appears too long for Spotted...more in keeping with CommonSandpiper.


cheers

 

[HH75]

Hi there,
The markings on the wing coverts are a feature of both Common and Spotted Sandpipers in juvenile plumage, though those on the latter tend to be a bit more 'contrasty', and those on the median coverts stand out more due to the fact that the greater coverts are only barred toward the tips in juv Spotted: the greater coverts of the subject bird suggest juvenile Common more.
In addition, any self-resecting Spotted Sand should surely have a shorter tail, projecting very little, if at all, beyond the tertials. Most birds would show a paler bill base, ghosting the bill pattern of adults, and I would expect a juv Spotted to look a somewhat greyer brown above than this juvenile Common Sandpiper.

 

[Russlac123]

Thanks

Thanks for your help, I'd never noticed the wing pattern before on Common, and I did not know about the structural differences.

 

[lewis20126]

The notched tertial fringes (just about visible) are also a good feature of Common Sand

cheers, alan

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

The side of the breast also looks dark for a spotty.