Hi


first of all, I really want the thank all of those who send comments about the identification of the two sandpipers I saw few days ago in Chile !!
All these messages were very interesting, and I'm sure that, as me, several of us learn a lot with all of these contributions !

Yesterday, I've been back to the place where I saw the 3 sandpipers, and I found 5 !!!

Sandpip1 & Sandpip2 were there, but it was impossible to have enough close view to take pictures.

I just have pictures of two more birds, Sandpip3 and Sandpip4 (see pictures on 
http://ar.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fabrschmitt/my_photos  )

I identified both of them as Semipalmated Sandpiper.
Sandpip3 is in an almost complete wintering plumage, and Sandpip4 is a moulting juvenile.
As for the two first birds, I'm interested by confirmation of these identifications.... as after the last discussions, I'm a little bit lost between Semi and Western.....


I also would like to come back on Sandpip2.
Actually everybody identify it as Westen (Calidris mauri) apart of Cameron Cox, who send a very intersting message.

The main arguments against Western are :
"Some Semipalmateds can be quite bright, so the fact that there is a bit of rufous on the second bird does not eliminate Semipalmated"

There is rufous on at least 1 scapulars (see Sandpip2e&f) and this feather really look like an adult breeding Western scapu.

Am I right, when I think that this rufous feather eliminate an adult Semi ? If this bird is an adult, it's definitly a Western ?

So, look at the picture Sandpip2 and Sandpip2-h I just send on Yahoo I, and especially on the bold dark blotches on the FORENECK (not the upper breast side).

These darkish spots shown in the aforementioned photos appear to be too nonlinear in form and too gross for markings that typically appear on the foreneck of the Semipalmated Sandpiper.

These blackish blotches are remants of Western breeding plumage, aren't they ? (anyway, not compatible with semipalmated foreneck I think...)

A semipalmated (juv. or adult) can have these kind of bold marks on the foreneck ?



"I believe that both birds posted on your web site are Semipalmated Sandpipers.  While I agree that the second bird strongly suggests Western at first glance, I believe it is a long-billed female Semipalmated. It is not well known, but many female Semipalmated Sandpipers can have quite long bills and as their bill get longer they also show a finer tip and may even droop a bit."

Cameron: the long billed female you catch in late august are adults&immatures, or only adults ?

I mean, a juv. "long-billed female" already had time to grow a such long bill ? or this kind of long-bill are typical of adult female ?



 
"Also bird #2 seem to show a few faint markings on the hindmost portion of the flanks.  While Westerns show chevron shaped marking all down the flanks in alternate plumage, in basic plumage this area in unmarked.  In my experience, thin shaft-streaks on the rear of the flanks not connected to more markings along the rest of the flanks strongly suggests Semipalmated Sandpiper.  Which I would expect would be far more likely to turn up in Chile anyway"

There were markings also on the flanks (impossible to see this on my bad pictures, but I saw it the first day and yesterday again). These markings where thin black streaks. But now I saw differents pictures of both species with these kind of markings... so I don't know if these marks help for the identification.


Thank you very much for your help,
Fabrice