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Case Summary for:
Submission No 212: Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii, Near Malanda, QLD, 24 September 1995. Verdict: Not Accepted This case relates to the sighting of a bird located on a property near Malanda on the Atherton Tablelands, North Queensland. 24 September 1995. Several observers were present, of which at least one had gained experience with this species overseas. The bird was sighted in clear conditions at fairly close range to within 20 metres. The submission provides detail in bullet point format of all the key features noted in the field. Key characters noted that help to eliminate Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla, Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta and other possibilities include: (1) The strikingly white outer tail feathers visible at times even while foraging; (2) A black bill described as being short, moderately deep at the base with the basal half to two-thirds tinged olive, finely pointed and decurved slightly; (3) Greyish-yellow legs not trailing beyond the tail in flight. Other details provided were: The call which was described as a short sweet trill; the plumage above which was plain brown including the hind neck and cheeks; size being dwarfed by that of Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata; the underparts which were immaculate white, excepting a distinct brownish wash chest band; a somewhat obscure whitish supercilium; scapulars, coverts & tertials clearly fringed pale. The behaviour was described as active at all times, pecking rapidly from the surface or chasing insects, with a steep erratic flight when flushed. Of concern is the fact that it is difficult to age the bird given the information provided. (There is no mention of age by the observer). A bird in non breeding plumage should be essentially grey. This bird is described as having an overall plain plumage suggesting adult winter and yet the hind-neck and cheeks are described as brown suggesting juvenile. The tip of the tail is described as "extending about to wing tips", more typical Temminck’s should have a tail extending slightly beyond the wing-tips, being the only stint (except for a few Western Sandpipers) in which this is so. Naturally individual variation and descriptive technique may explain some of these problems, however this does further complicate the committees decision. The committee agreed that there was little doubt that the description includes features that are strongly suggestive for Temminck’s Stint particularly the extent of white in the tail, bill colour and overall plain colouration. Also noteworthy is the experience of the primary field observer which is known to be extensive with the more regular species. However, the committee felt that without further corroborating evidence, particularly detailed field notes from one or more observers this record (which would have been a first for Australia) cannot be accepted. We cannot stress enough how very important back up material is for such a case.
References and Bibliography
Tony Palliser |