kb57
Well-known member
This wader flew in while I was watching a couple of redshanks on intertidal mud near Faro airport, October 8th.
Significantly smaller than a redshank and looking a bit bigger / more upright stance than a dunlin, I was excited at first that it might be a pectoral sandpiper - the sharp delineation between breast markings and underparts was apparent.
Unfortunately it proceeded to sit down on the mud, and I had a plane to catch at the airport, so couldn't wait for it to move!
When I first looked at the (very heavily cropped) picture, it looked very much to me like a green sandpiper, the bill for one thing being too long for pectoral. However, the light was very harsh, which might be making it look darker. I didn't get a proper look at it in flight, and I'm surprised I didn't ID even a momentary flight view as green sandpiper straightaway. I'm left thinking maybe just a dunlin after all (which were present in the area)?
Significantly smaller than a redshank and looking a bit bigger / more upright stance than a dunlin, I was excited at first that it might be a pectoral sandpiper - the sharp delineation between breast markings and underparts was apparent.
Unfortunately it proceeded to sit down on the mud, and I had a plane to catch at the airport, so couldn't wait for it to move!
When I first looked at the (very heavily cropped) picture, it looked very much to me like a green sandpiper, the bill for one thing being too long for pectoral. However, the light was very harsh, which might be making it look darker. I didn't get a proper look at it in flight, and I'm surprised I didn't ID even a momentary flight view as green sandpiper straightaway. I'm left thinking maybe just a dunlin after all (which were present in the area)?
