Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (BBRC)

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata

Finder’s report: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at North Killingholme, September 18th, 1982, first county record.

by G. P. Catley (with Gerd Hoyer).

Note:  this account is based on the article in the Lincolnshire Bird Report 1982, with reference to the original BBRC submission.  The BBRC report for 1982 noted that this was the first record since 1978. The bird had first been seen at Blacktoft Sands on September 17th and dawn of 18th saw a lot of birders queueing in thick fog for the hides at Blacktoft, but the bird had departed. But later, news came through that it had been relocated at North Killingholme. This was the 11th British record at the time since 1950.

Circumstances

After visiting Blacktoft Sands and missing the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, we arrived at North Killingholme pits at 15.50hr. Soon after I located a bird feeding in amongst the reeds at the back of one of the pits. On first glance it looked a little larger than Dunlin and had a different jizz! It bore a limited resemblance to Pectoral Sandpiper in general shape but was otherwise not too similar. It flew closer and settled with its back to us among a flock of Dunlin. AS it turned its head the amazingly short, stubby bill was immediately apparent as were the main plumage features. It then moved off to the pit side where it adopted the characteristic habit of feeding in soft mud around the pit edge, often walking into the reeds and sedges, where it would feed out of sight for some time before reappearing. This habit was maintained 18th-19th, but on 20th it fed more in the open, still fairly close to the pit-side vegetation, however. On one occasion on 18th, it flew into the second pit and sat out in the open on an area of floating water weed, where it rested and slept, but also fed a little. Here it looked totally different to when it was in the other area, looking shorter-necked, dumpier, and more pot-bellied than on previous occasions. Normally, it could be picked out at long range by its very characteristic method of feeding and walking. It bore a strong resemblance to a small crake as it moved with head held down, rear uptilted almost as if toppling forward, and with its rather ponderous, deliberate leg movements, rather jerky in action. Many observers commented upon the resemblance to a crake and Gerd Hoyer, who is conversant with Little Crakes, commented that its jizz bore a strong resemblance to that species. It occasionally ran quite quickly over the open drier mud and when alarmed it stood rather upright, when in this posture head-on it looked rather deep-bellied.

Description

General appearance – in size it was not much bigger than some Dunlin present, but larger than others; about as long as a Curlew Sandpiper and shorter-legged but lacking the bulk of that species especially about the head. Overall, the shape was of a small head on a medium length neck, rather thin. Longish body and wings and shortish legs usually held flexed.

Head and crown – rather square-headed, flat-crowned, and small. Lores brown, not as dark and contrasting as all Pectorals seen and photos of Pec’s perused. Ear coverts dark brown, streaked finely with blackish. Supercilium pale, creamy, faint before the eye but broadening out and much more obvious behind the eyes, obvious at long distance, contrasting with crown and ear coverts; faintly streaked darker behind the eyes when seen close to. Crown looked dark at a distance in some lights but in good light was distinctly rufous with rows of blackish streaks. Rear of nape grey-brown, paler than cap and streaked dark, black-brown. Chin and upper throat creamy-buff, lightly streaked darker, again contrasting with dark ear coverts.

Upperparts – mantle quite bright buff with rows of heavy black streaks; two pale whitish/creamy Vs formed by tips of mantle feathers and scapulars. This feature was nothing like as obvious as Pectorals and most prominent when bird bent over head-on. Scapulars brown with grey and buff edgings. Tertials dark brown with slightly brighter buff edges. In flight, and when preening, showed a broad blackish centre to the tail and rump with greyish-white outer tail feathers. A narrow pale whitish wing bar formed by tips to greater coverts was obvious on the otherwise rather uniformly dark upperwing.

Underparts – lower throat and breast fairly bright buff background, heavily marked with dark brown streaks, spots and chevrons on lower breast. Sides of breast streaked darker than rest near bend of wing. Buff wash faded out on lower breast just before legs into pale, whitish belly. Streaks of breast continued on to sides of belly and flanks showed a row of ruddy-brown chevrons, facing to the rear. Belly whitish then demarcated from buffy undertail coverts which showed clear dark brown streaks along their length; this feature was very obvious due to the bird’s habit of feeding with tail and rear cocked up when streaks were to be seen from behind. Above the undertail coverts a pale whitish line was usually prominent between the dark undertail coverts and the dark wings, this being formed by the pale outer tail feathers. The darkish underparts and notably the undertail were a noticeable feature in flight in comparison to the other small waders present.

Bare parts – bill rather short, stubby, and almost straight, only marginally decurved at tip; looked decidedly shorter than Pectorals seen before. Looked dark, blackish with a fleshy-olive base to the lower mandible only visible at close range. Eyes dark with a narrow, pale eye ring. Legs looked dark, blackish at with greenish tinge at close range.

Behaviour – it did not associate directly with any other waders but fed near to Snipe, Dunlin and Ringed Plover and Curlew Sandpiper. It sometimes flew with the other waders when disturbed but often flew alone or remained where it was when they flew. The bird was aged as an adult and was the first county record.

Reference