Sandpipier ID Help, China (2 Viewers)

[xuky.summer]

My friend photographed these two sandpipers today at noon in Qingdao City, Shandong Province. The one on the left is a ‌Red-necked Sandpiper‌, while the one on the right looks a bit unusual. It lacks obvious red coloration on the foreneck, has long legs and a long bill, which doesn’t match the typical breeding plumage of a Red-necked Sandpiper. However, the pattern on its scapulars also doesn’t seem to align with a ‌Little Sandpiper‌.
What could this bird be? Thank you very much

 

[johnallcock]

It looks fine for Little Stint to me. The longer legs and bill (compared to the Red-necked) fit Little quite well, and the head pattern (ginger-rufous on the crown and ear coverts, no red on the throat) also fits Little. I think the confusion might be partly because the bird is still not very advanced into breeding plumage, so the scapulars are still non-breeding and lack the bright rufous pattern of a breeding plumage bird.

 

[xuky.summer]

Hi John, I have a question: Are these scapular feathers I've marked with lines newly molted? If they are new, they appears very pale without dark feather shafts or distinct rufous edges. Does this characteristic align with the breeding plumage of Little Stint ?

 

[johnallcock]

I can understand why you are asking, as they do seem slightly fresher than some of the surrounding feathers. But I'm not sure that they are newly moulted for the breeding season, it's hard to judge the exact wear on these feathers from this photo. I'm not familiar with all small Calidris (especially the North American species) but I don't think these fit the pattern of breeding plumage for any small Calidris species - but the pattern on these feathers does look typical of a non-breeding Little/ Red-necked Stint. My suggestion is that these have been replaced during the winter, perhaps indicating the bird is a first winter (with contrast between scapulars grown in winter and older juvenile wing coverts).

On the 3rd photo of your original post, the bird in question (the one on the right) seems to have a brighter rufous feather in the right wing (I think a scapular) that is not clearly visible in the other photos. I wonder if this is actually a replaced breeding-plumage feather contrasting against greyer non-breeding feathers.

I've quite often seen Little Stints with similar pattern - mostly non-breeding on the body but with some evidence of breeding plumage on the head - on migration in Hong Kong in spring, especially earlier in the season. I've often found Little to be difficult to pick out from Red-necked early in the season, but they get easier later, as breeding plumage progresses.

 

[xuky.summer]

Thank you so much; your analysis is as brilliant as ever！