Spotted Sandpiper at Brockholes Wetlands, Lancashire

May 30, 2011:
First reported this morning, the bird attracted a large number of watchers to the newly opened Reserve. A visitor from North America, it is only the fifth record for Lancashire, the previous one was at Stocks Reservoir just over a year ago. Prior to that it was 1987.



The bird spent today on No.1 pool, at first moving to several different places before finally settling for the stony shoreline near the Sand Martin bank where there was also a Turnstone, a Redshank and a Common Sandpiper. It was in full adult summer plumage having a heavily spotted breast and underparts, a prominent eye-stripe, a pinkish bill with a black tip and yellowish legs. Hopefully it will stay for a while, but maybe not.

Unfortunately it never came sufficiently close for good photographs and the heavy morning rain didn't help either.




A few of the many watchers who came to see the bird during the day.

Spotted Sandpiper, Stocks Reservoir, Lancashire

May 18, 2010:
This extreme local rarity apparently arrived at the reservoir two days ago but wasn't identified as such until yesterday. This morning it was visible for a while along the shore-line to the right of the first hide where it spent much of its time feeding. Quite often it was difficult to pick out amongst the stones on the shore. At least three Common Sandpipers were nearby and one of them was quickly chased away by the Spotted when it came too close.



It made occasional short flights, once to the spit on the opposite shore but soon came back to its original place. The yellowish legs, orange-red bill with a black tip, prominent white eye-stripe and heavily spotted breast confirmed it as a summer-plumaged adult. It was a difficult subject to photograph being small, distant and mobile but it was satisfying to have a record at least. This is only the fourth occurrence of the bird in Lancashire and the first since 1987.



More Cyprus photos are too follow.