ML617122487

Beobachtungsdetails

Superb views of one before we even got off the boat right by the jetty! I managed excellent photos of this bird which had attained 70% breeding plumage. I picked up a further two birds on South Race Rock so were a bit distant even through the scope. One bird was more advanced (90%) with a white face and dark ear covert patch, the other bird was less advanced and looking characteristically basic (30%). Smallish size and structure ruled out Dunlin-like ptilocnemis. Alternate/breeding plumage with darker rufous edges to scapulars and fairly well-defined ear covert patch points to expected subspecies tschuktschorum but I can't rule out couesi and especially quarta with certainty.