[Posted
28/10/2005]
A
white-rumped
sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) has
been found at the Radley Lakes. This is an American
bird, which occasionally strays across the Atlantic.
It resembles a Dunlin, but slightly smaller, with
prominent white eye-stripe, white rump and slightly
down-curved bill.
This fantastic bird, a first for Oxfordshire, was
found in the late afternoon of Thursday 27 October
2005 by visting Berkshire birder, Paul Cropper. Although
99% sure of the ID, he obviously wanted a second opinion
before spreading the news. Unfortunately he didn't
have any phone numbers for Oxfordshirel birders and
it took some time to make contact with someone in
the locality. The message that eventually got through
to OOSRC
member Nic
Hallam at 17.30 sounded very unconvincing: ''a
report of a possible White-rumped sandpiper with three
Dunlin''. Nevertheless Nic made his way down
to the lakes as darkness began to fall and found Paul
Cropper in a highly excitable state, but also somewhat
distressed that the Sandpiper had vanished! However
Paul did have some digital images of the bird to show
to Nic. Despite the poor quality, they looked very
convincing. Then, peering into the gathering gloom,
Nic noticed that the three Dunlin had now been joined
by another small wader. However, it was, by then,
as good as dark and it was impossible to make out
any features on the bird. Ian
Lewington and Justin Taylor then turned up but
were unable to get any better views. The group nevertheless
alerted the community, by all possible means, of the
presence of a White-rumped sandpiper at Radley and
the news was also broadcast to the RBA pagers. However
noone was particularly happy that further observation
was impossible in darkness.
Luckily the bird was still present the following day,
in the company of the three Dunlin on lake
H at SU 523 972. By 8.30am on 28th October, the
bird was being watched by at least 20 people with
more arriving throughout the day.
Congratulations
to Paul on a brilliant find, and a long awaited addition
to the county bird list.
[With
acknowledgements to David Guyoncourt, Nic Hallam and
John Hillsdon for story details.]
