100 CARTER & SMITH, The Ruff [ Watcher

A Victorian Sight Record of the Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) By M. J. CARTER, Frankston, and F. T. H. SMITH, Kew, Victoria. Several members of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union and the Bird Observers Club went to Lake Murdeduke, approximately 75 miles west of Melbourne, on February 12, 1966, to search for a Wilson's (Steganopus tricolor), that had been reported there a few weeks previously. The lake, in the Western District of Victoria, has a shoreline of more than ten miles. It is marked "salt" on maps but is most likely nearer to brackish, as some small freshwater creeks run into it at various points. It is an open-water lake with flat shores. The main aquatic vegetation is a species of water-mat (Lipilaena sp.). On the day of the visit the southern and eastern fringes of the lake seemed to have attracted many more than the other sections. At mid-afternoon all the observers were at the south­ east corner of the lake, where there was an interesting concentra­ tion of small waders. There were several hundred each of Sharp· tailed (Erolia acuminata), and Red-necked Stints (E. ruficollis), with several Red-capped Dotterels (Charadrius alexan­ drinus), some Double-banded Dotterels (C. bicinctus) and a few -Sandpipers (Erolia ferruginea). Most of the were picking in the shallow water, or on small muddy islets, whilst others were preening or sleeping nearby. A larger attracted our attention; it was feeding slowly and deliberately, almost abdomen deep, further out in the water. At first sight its hunched feeding posture suggested a Knot ( sp.). It more resembled a Great Knot (C. tenuirostris), when comparing its size with that of the Sharp-tailed Sandpipers that were feeding close by, and also because of the longish bill. At this stage the bird was over one hundred feet away and its legs were obscured by a low, flat islet. The identity of the wader was still under consideration when it stepped clear of the intervening obstruction and revealed distinct yellowish legs. A short while later it came right out of the water and the whole of the wet legs were clearly revealed in the sunlight. They were a bright orange-yellow and in certain positions showed a reddish tinge. The wader squatted flat on a patch of short, dead grass and went to sleep, with its bill placed down its back. The observers knew that it was an unfamiliar bird, but they were at a loss to name the species. The bright leg colour indicated that it might be a Redshank ( totanus), a bird that has not yet been recorded from Australia. As the bird was fast asleep three of the observers waded slowly towards it, stopping every few seconds in case it became alarmed and flew away. Whilst it slept on the patch of brown grass, it was June J CARTER & SMITH, The Ruff 101 l968 most difficult to see, and it could easily have escaped detection. In that position it appeared to be just another large Sharp-tailed , and it appeared to have lost much of its bulle While we were standing examining the bird through binoculars, some nearby Sharp-tailed Sandpipers became restive at our close­ ness. Some moved away whilst others flew a short distance, giving voice to some alarm notes. This activity woke the strange wader and it sat up alertly with neck extended, allowing us a fine view. Then it stood up quickly, on the alert, once again exhibiting its brightly hued legs for a few seconds, before flying about two hundred yards away. In the air it showed generally dark brown mottled upper parts, with a narrow whitish bar on the wing across the upper secon­ daries, and white sides to the tail, extending almost to the dark tip. From what had already been seen both writers agreed on the identification as Philomachus pug:wx. Carter had had previous field experience of the species in England, and Smith knew the key identifying markings from the text-books and field-guides. The bird was relocated feeding in approximately an inch of water with a number of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. It was again viewe::l closely as it waded about with the head drawn-in, hunched position. Occasionally it went partially on the alert but at all times it was longer-legged and much bigger, in all proportions, than the largo:st Ero1ia a::um;nata. We watched it feed quietly for several minutes. It flew short distances on two or three occasions and as it rose from the water each time the bright leg colour was clearly seen. The orange toes showed just beyond the tail-tip in flight and could be seen in that position from a long distance. Eventually all the small waders near us, including the Ruff, flew up in alarm and milled around in the air in several flocks. The Ruff flew with a few Sharp-tailed Sandpipers for a short while, allowing some good flight views, before going right away and out of sight. None of our party saw it again. FIELD DESCRIPTION OF THE LAKE MURDEDUKE RUFF This description is taken from notes made during the period of the observation and immediately afterwards, before we left the lake. General Appearance: Dark brown upper parts with neck and head lighter. Orange-yellow legs. When feeding in a hunched manner rather knot-like in posture. With neck stretched upward, more like an alert Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Size: Approximately twice that of a large Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Upper Parts: Head and neck generally light grey-brown, covered with short brownish streaks. No pale eye-stripe. Back, mantle and wing-coverts composed of somewhat elongated dark brown feathers margined with pale buff. The scapular feathers were particularly large. The dark back area and the lighter head and neck contrasted giving a mild two-tone effect. In flight there 102 CARTER & SMITH, The Ruff [ Bird Watcher was a narrow whitish wing-bar across the ends of the greater wing­ coverts, extending halfway across the breadth of the secondaries. A wide white patch each side of the dark centre to the tail and rump extended almost to the broad dark tip. Under Parts: Mostly whitish, with white chin and pale rufous blotching on the upper chest and front of the neck. Eye: Dark, with a narrow light orbital ring. Bill: Dark with a faint decurve. Similar in shape to that of a large Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. The base of the bill, at the gape, was completely encircled by a noticeable band of small whitish feathering, which was wider on the forehead. Legs and Toes: Bright orange-yellow when wet. Light reddish appearance in some attitudes. Flight: Similar to that of the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, but wings broader at the base. Call: Not heard. REMARKS This sighting of a Ruff (Philomachus pugnax), by several observers at Lake Murdeduke, Victoria, came within a month of the first Ruff that was recorded for the State of Victoria being shot at Lake Tutchewop, in the north of the State. Literature from areas where the species is relatively plentiful states that the colour of the leg is very variable. According to the Handbook of British Birds the colour may be "green, greenish-yellow, orange-yellow, bright orange, yellowish-brown or flesh colour". We were fortunate that the Lake Murdeduke bird had such bright leg colouring. If the legs had been in the more usual dull colour range, identifica­ tion would have been considerably more difficult. The only other migratory waders that we have seen in Australia showing some­ what similarly coloured legs are the Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus), and the ( Arenaria inter pres). The bird was considered to be a male, or Ruff, judging by its dimensions when compared with those of a Sharp-tailed Sand­ piper. It was approximately twice the size of a large Erolia acuminata. The female, or Reeve, which is noticably smaller than the male, would be larger than a big Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, but not double its bulk. REFERENCES BANNERMAN, D. A. 1961, The Birds of the British Isles, 9:361-382. CoNDON, H . T . & McGILL, A. R. 1965, Field Guide to the Waders, 33. HoLLOM, P. A. D. 1960, The Popular Handbook of Rarer British Birds, 232-3. KoBAYASHI, K. 1956, Birds of Japan in Natural Colours, pl. 50. McEvEY, A. 1963, The Emu, 63:35-39. PETERSON, R. T., MouNTFORT, G . & HoLLOM, P. A. D . 1961 , A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe, 133. PETERSON, R. T. 1962, A Field Guide to the Birds, 104-5. PouGH, R. H . 195 1, Audubon Water Bird Guide, 250-1. SEEBOHM, H. 1888, The Geographical Distribution of the Charadriidae, 373-6. WITHERBY, H. F., JOURDAIN, F. C. R., TICEHURST, N. F. and TUCKER, B. W. 1948, The Handbook of British Birds, 4:281-6.