[Python] Python 3.12 returning unexpected result with symlinks on Windows 11

On my Windows 11 laptop with Python 3.12.9, I am getting an unexpected result using os.scandir and os.stat on a windows shortcut.
I would like to find out if the [os.scandir, os.listdir, os.stat, et al] entry is a symlink (aka shortcut) without resorting to comparing the file extension (e.g. os.path.splitext(entry)[1] == ".lnk")

I have the following test folder structure on my local c:\:

\test\
pic.jpg
pic.jpg - Shortcut.lnk
dir\


That is one picture file, a shortcut (sym link) to the picture file, and sub folder.

using this test code:

import os
import stat

p = r"C:\test"
fs = False
print("follow_symlinks=",fs)
for e in os.scandir(p):
s = os.stat(e.path,follow_symlinks=fs)
m = s.st_mode
print(e.name, "win",s.st_file_attributes, "mode",m)
print(" file",e.is_file(follow_symlinks=fs),", dir",e.is_dir(follow_symlinks=fs))
print(" sym",e.is_symlink(),",junct",e.is_junction())
print(" ssym",stat.S_ISLNK(m),",sfile",stat.S_ISREG(m),",sdir",stat.S_ISDIR(m))


gives the following output:

follow_symlinks= False
dir win 16 mode 16895
file False , dir True
sym False ,junct False
ssym False ,sfile False ,sdir True
pic.jpg win 32 mode 33206
file True , dir False
sym False ,junct False
ssym False ,sfile True ,sdir False
pic.jpg - Shortcut.lnk win 32 mode 33206
file True , dir False
sym False ,junct False
ssym False ,sfile True ,sdir False


Setting fs (follow_symlinks) to True shows the exact same output.

Since I am not following symlinks I expected the results for "pic.jpg - Shortcut.lnk" to be
file False, sym True, junct True, ssym True sfile False
Is the test code correct to determine if the entry is a symlink?

I use the reference file modes from https://docs.python.org/3/library/stat.html#module-stat and windows file attributes from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/fileio/file-attribute-constants?redirectedfrom=MSDN


mode 16895 is mode 16384 (directory) plus permissions
mode 33206 is mode 32768 (regular file) plus permissions
windows attribute 16 is FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY
windows attribute 32 is FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ARCHIVE, bitwise & 2,4 or 128 are also acceptable

Any clarification or help would be appreciated.

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