Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus

The Terek Sandpiper is named after the Caspian River Terek and is the only species in the Xenus genus. It breeds in north Eurasia from Finland to east Siberia near water in Taiga forest and migrates south to East Africa, South Asia and even Australia in the northern winter. These were seen in Kazakhstan, probably on migration.

It has a slightly upturned, long bill and is closer to shanks and phalaropes than to true sandpipers.