The Deskbound Birder: White-rumped Sandpiper

Showing posts with label White-rumped Sandpiper. Show all posts

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Snettisham RSPB and Frampton Marsh RSPB - 27th July

On 27th July, while on annual leave at our cottage in the Cotswolds, I planned a three wader tick day. I was up early and headed to Snettisham arriving at high tide where my first British tick, a very pale looking White-rumped Sandpiper, showed well on the shoreline feeding with Dunlin. As the tide fell there was a shout of Western Sandpiper but unfortunately, this bird was rather distant on the mudflats and did not show close to the shore as it had done on previous days - but it was wader tick number 2. My eBird checklist for Snettisham can be seen here.

After Snettisham I then headed north into Lincolnshire and to Frampton Marsh RSPB where an adult summer Pacific Golden Plover showed well in the gloom - wader tick number 3! The heavens opened and I began the drive back to the Cotswolds passing through some torrential downpours on my journey. My eBird checklist for Frampton Marsh can be seen here.

Saturday, 11 June 2016

Alaska - 11th June (Day 15 - Part 2)

After spending the morning on Freshwater Road (see Part 1 here) we headed to Cakeeater Road and Gas Pipe Road birding it until 01:30. On the pool along Cakeeater Road was a nice selection of waders including Baird's Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper and by now the usual and familiar Western Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper. Onto Gas Pipe Road and out onto the tundra I spent my time with four species, firstly, Spectacled Eider, Steller’s Eider and Red-throated Diver on their tundra breeding pools enjoying great views. But my highlight was undoubtedly spending time with pair of Pomarine Skua at the nest. These are, back in the UK one of my favourite species and one that I don't get the chance to see that often, at their best passing a headland in a flock in the spring. This was more a bird of my childhood when I spend many many hours seawatching at St. Catherine’s Point on the Isle of Wight, one of the highlights of the year was seeing flocks passing by the headland in early to mid-May. It was a real privilege to see them on their breeding grounds in all their splendour with spoons and menacing appearance – uber cool and to be dive bombed by them so that they were no more than 3m away was for me perhaps the highlight of my time in Alaska, a moment I shall always treasure. Today had been a fantastic days birding with some real star birds.