wleepoin

Mai Po
18th February, 2010.

Our new year gift!

Cheers
PWMK

kmike

Congratulations!
This is the first for several years.

Cheers
Mike K

kmatthew

Great find Peter & Michelle!! Congratulations!!

HFCheung

Other than size, the only thing that this bird does not fit Little Ringed Plover is the eyering.  Even in winter plumage, Little Ringed Plover has a clear eyering, especially at the part near the ear.  

Little Ringed Plover can have orange leg, and part of the bill orange.  The head partern of full breeding bird is also quite similar.  That is something to note.  So I have learned something.  Thank you.

HF Cheung

[ Last edited by HFCheung at 19/02/2010 13:53 ]

John Holmes

Great find, Peter and Michelle !!!!

J & J

wleepoin

Mai Po
20th February, 2010

Thank you all!
Very happy to see many birders saw it again today, such a cute bird.

More photos to help on the ID:
In flight from above, you can see the prominent wide white wing-stripe compare to L-R-Plover which has very thin wing-stripe. Hope this helps..

Cheers
PWMK

cmichaell

Peter & Michelle,

Your nice pics of the upperwing reconfirm this as tundrae Ringed Plover because of the length of the wing bar and primary moult. The white in the wing bar extends to the outer webs of the outer primaries at one end [not just the shafts] and much of the inner secondaries, both features which according to the experts eliminate Semipalmated which has a shorter wing bar. Also unfinished wing moult to the outer primaries is just right for tundrae which doesnt start moulting until about November after reaching its wintering grounds whereas Semipalmated and Little Ringed moult much earlier.

Just goes to show the value of good pics.

Mike Chalmers

wleepoin

Thanks Mike for your very detailed information. Always learn a lot from you!!

cheers
Peter & Michelle

ajohn

The Common Ringed Plover was again present, and showing very well, at the Mai Po Boardwalk this morning