I spent a considerable amount of time scanning through the waders in the bay off Butts Lagoon. There were around 200 Dunlin gathered and I was secretly hoping for a rarity - maybe a Broad-billed Sandpiper but it was not to be. Most of the Dunlin were in a pretty much incomplete summer plumage so I guessed that these birds are non-breeders as surely breeding birds would be on territory by now? There was a considerable amount of variation within the plumages on show and I supposed that much of this variation was down to the extent of summer plumage gained and sex. However, one or two birds appeared to be markedly greyer and I guessed that these may have been of the race schinzii while the majority were of the nominate race alpina. Both are common in the UK with the former said to be the common wintering race while the latter is a migrant wintering in southern Europe and north-west Africa. Schinzii breeds around the Baltic, coast in northern areas of the UK, Iceland and south-east Greenland while alpina breeds from northern Scandinavia and northern Russia east to the Taymyr Region. A summary of the BBRC assessment of the status of Dunlin races in the UK can be found here, Birdlife International Dunlin page is here and large amount of information on the species can be found here on the Dunlin Website but this page appears to be no longer updated.
Other waders in the bay off Butts Lagoon included 15 Grey Plover, five Whimbrel, 30 Ringed Plover and 25 Turnstone. Good numbers of Swift buzzed overhead and I scoured them for a bird with a white rump but no luck.
Little Tern - Pennington Marsh
Little Tern - Pennington Marsh
Dunlin (above 12 images) - I think all the above are probably alpina with broad rufous fringes to the scapulars and greater coverts and heavy streaking on the breast above the black belly.
This bird I believe maybe schinzii with paler chestnut fringing, broad grey tip to the scapulars and a small belly patch. There is also a clearer white band above the belly and the bird appears paler although this maybe an artefact of the number of winter type feathers in the upper parts.
Map showing the breeding distribution and main migration corridors of five subspecies of Dunlin (click for larger image), HBW currently recognises 10 subspecies.
Ringed Plover - Pennington Marsh
Ringed Plover - Pennington Marsh
Swift - Pennington Marsh
Swift - Pennington Marsh
Common Tern - Fishtail Lagoon
Common Tern - Keyhaven Lagoon
The skies were blackening and my walk along the Ancient Highway was rather hurried as I aimed to get within a short dash of the car. I spent some time scanning the Swift and Hirundine over Efford Lagoon hoping for a Red-rumped Swallow. These birds were putting on a fantastic show as they buzzed low over the water surface. The first spits of rain hit and I made a run before just as the skies opened.
Reed Bunting - Pennington Marsh
Swift - Efford Lagoon
Swift - Efford Lagoon
