Feathers in February 2023, Part 2; White-rumped Sandpiper!

Friday 17 February; Slimbridge

A White-rumped Sandpiper had been found at Slimbridge a few days before, a very unseasonal record of a bird usually encountered during the migration periods. Our chance to make it an early addition to our year list came a few days later. Initially the Dunlin sized wading bird had shown only distantly from some of the outlying hides but on the previous day had turned up and fed right in front of the Discovery hide on the South Lake. We had to wait for a space at the windows to come available before we joined the other birders there.

For half an hour there were many claims of the White-rumped Sandpiper but I could only see Dunlins at the spots where the rarer bird was supposed to be. Identifying small wading birds is never easy and in their drab winter garb can be very tricky. But there are enough differences between the two species to enable correct identification but I guess some folk were just too over eager and too expectant that the Sandpiper would be in exactly the same place as the day before. Happily though the correct bird with its broad pale supercilium, short bill and long attenuated body flew in and landed by a small island before taking a brisk bath in the middle of a sea of roosting Lapwings. Not that you could identify it from any of the photos that I took at the time!

White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicolis), centre 

The White-rumped Sandpiper promptly disappeared and didn't return for another hour so we gave up and headed to the cafe for a coffee. Our luck was in though when the Sandpiper was refound from the Peng Observatory just fifty metres away from where we were. The coffee was gulped down and we were looking out through the glass windows of the (very warm) heated observatory just minutes later. I spotted a small grey wader in exactly the spot where the White-rumped Sandpiper was supposed to be and confusingly, and frustratingly, only saw a Dunlin again!

Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

It quickly dawned on me that if the White-rumped Sandpiper was on the Rushy, then it must have moved to the lower pool so, leaving Mrs Caley in the warm, I briskly transferred to the Rushy hide. The presence of at least a dozen other birders (and toggers) indicated that the target bird was there. I found a space and was amazed to see the Sandpiper just metres away on the closest edge of the pool. I quickly took a couple of shots and returned to the observatory to collect Mrs Caley.

Now we could both enjoy the bird together. Incredibly some of the other folk previously hogging the hide windows had left, and we'd clearly been quicker of the mark than most of the other birders present so we were able to get some really good views of the White-rumped Sandpiper as it fed happily at the margins of the pond.

The Sandpiper was steadily working its way along the shore but away from the hide so we'd already had the best views and photo opportunities, so I cast my net further around the Rushy and found the long staying drake Greater Scaup asleep on an island in front of the observatory.

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)

A pair of Black-tailed Godwits were either, fighting or loving each other, I couldn't work out which, on the pool. At times they looked as if they hated one another then at other times it all looked very amiable.  After watching their antics for a while, I decided they must be married!

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa islandica)

A female Mallard was less fortunate in front of the hide. When it comes to Mallards, there is no love at all and the females are fair game for many of the drakes at once. This female was having to deal with the attentions of four males and at times it looked like pretty rough stuff. I found it incredible that the duck appeared to be smiling throughout, and she appeared as if she enjoyed it. Just appearances I know because Mallards are blessed with smily faces.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Other birds showing close to the hide included a gorgeous Moorhen, another of those taken for granted species because they are common, although not as many when I was a child, "Moggies" were everywhere back then. Look closely and a beautiful bird is right there. Shelducks are also handsome birds and like the Moorhen have striking red bills.

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

There are always a fair few of the gorgeous Pintails on the Rushy and they always give extremely close views from the hide. Many of the ducks here loiter all day and wait for the swan feeds that take place late in the afternoons.

Pintail (Anas acuta)

Another duck arrived in time for the afternoon feed but this one, a fabulous drake Mandarin, was better because, like the Greater Scaup, was a year tick. The Mandarin made a beeline for the shore right in front of the hide and afforded us great views.

Mandarin (Aix galericulata)

An odd duck was also waiting for the handouts but I had no idea what species it was although it was clearly a variety of Shelduck. Twitterati informed me that it was considered to be a Cape Shelduck which are kept as part of the captive collection at Slimbridge, but this bird was unringed so had likely come from a collection elsewhere since it's highly unlikely that it had come from South Africa.

Cape Shelduck

We decided to stay on for the swan feed and killed a bit of time by visiting the Tack Piece hides and ticking off some of the Geese on offer, most notably the White-fronted & Barnacle flock but also the Ross's and Snow Geese that may or may not be genuine articles, which they are most probably not but both worthy of inclusion on the Old Caley year list (just means I have to get 302 to be sure if I end up chasing another Big Year total). Snow an Ross's Geese look very similar in being virtually all white but the Snow Goose is bigger and has a much larger bill.

Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)

Ross's Goose (Anser rossii) & Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)

The swan feed, primarily designed to supplement the diets of the hundred or so Bewick's Swans on site, but which also offers extra food to many other species including the Greater Scaup, Mandarin Duck and Pintails that we saw earlier, made a relaxed change to our birding despite the frenetic activity outside the windows. The presentation by the Swan master was interesting and worth listening to. There is never a dull day to be had at Slimbridge and there is almost always a scarce or rare bird to enjoy.

Bewick's Swan (Cygnus colombianus)

The Swan Feed 

Year List additions;

138) Black-tailed Godwit, 139) White-rumped Sandpiper, 140) Greater Scaup, 141) White-fronted Goose, 142) Barnacle Goose, 143) Snow Goose, 144) Ross's Goose, 145) Mandarin Duck