Western Treatment Plant _ Pectoral Sandpiper

A single Pectoral Sandpiper has been observed at the Western Treatment Plant since last October last year (2017). It is usually seen in T-section to the south-west of the Plant, accessed by key through Gate 1 which is on the right at the southern end of Point Wilson Road. Within T-section, it "lives" in the northern part of the Crake Pond where there is a island of large stones and boulders and accompanying mudflats or, less commonly, in the northwest section of the pond immediately to the east. It has been observed to aggressively chase Sharp-tailed Sandpipers away.

Comparative Diagnostics:

In the bird guides it is "paired" with the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper; i.e. they look very similar.

• Pec: 21-23 cm long, has a streaked breast with an abrupt junction with a white belly. Sharpie: 20cm long with a diffuse margin to the breast.
• Pec: The bill is slightly decurved (curves downwards) and brown with a darker tip; i.e. the base is appreciably lighter than the tip. On the WTP bird, the base is quite yellow/orange and the easiest ID factor. Sharpie: Bill slightly decurved but less than Pec. Relatively dark along entire length.
• Pec: no eye-ring. Sharpie: prominent eye-ring.
• Pec: Supercilium (eyebrow) is buffer than Sharpie. Sharpie: often white and distinct.

These were the views that alerted me to the Pec's presence in the crake pond. You can easily see the abrupt junction of the breast with the white belly and the yellow base to the bill. It is hard to tell from images without other birds but, pond-side, there were a few Sharpies to compare the size and I was able to tell it was just a bit bigger than a Sharpie.

This is a Sharpie so you are able to compare the breast/belly junction and the bill colour.

Here is another comparison image with the Sharpie in front and the Pec behind.

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotus