NTL2, SBWR 31Oct09

From Danny

Early morning downpour ruled out trip to Kranji Resort. The plan to check out the fresh water fields inside the resort for ring plover, long-toed stint got washed out. Instead I drove over to NSRCC golf club but only Yellow Wagtails abound. Next, went to SBWR to catch the high tide. At Hide 1C, the usual BB sandpipers, RN stints and a single GSP.

However, this time the GSP is flagged. As in the pic, the GSP practically surrounded by Lesser Sand Plovers, making comparison much easier. The GSP has relatively longer and thicker bill; it is bigger in overall size; and it looks taller as it has longer legs. The colour of the legs are 90% greenish-yellow (no. quote from David Bakewell's recent Wader Workshop) while LSP mostly has dark legs (there are relatively small percentage with greenish-yellow legs). The LSP has relatively round head while GSP has squarer shape mainly due to the way the thicker bill is joined to the head.

As for the RN stints, manage to pic 2 birds together, hoping to id one as little stint - no luck. Though I think the right side bird is a first winter with white fringes evident in the median and a few dark color greater coverts. The left hand bird typical adult non-breeding with thin dark centre feathers.

Did not walk over to 2D, so no idea about the tattler.

Was at Sgp Quarry late afternoon when 2 Fork-tailed Swifts turned up, practically flew over me but no photographers around.