Feeling a bit fed up this morning - seems I've made a boob. It's interesting stuff though and good learning.
Firstly sorry for the confusion about this bird. I found a small calidris wader yesterday which I initally took as being a Baird's - wrong. It wasn't a Baird's that stared back at me from my computer screen. Jungle drums seem to have since sounded as the bird wasn't put out as a Western Sand yesterday - don't know where that came from. Now this morning people (who haven't seen the bird) have decided it is a juvenile Dunlin.
The bird is an interesting one and those who have seen it (including BBRC men, RSPB wardens and county recorders) have been struck by it's unique appearance. It is very easy to pick out amongst the 1000+ small waders present. No one has at any point comminted themselves 100% to a species (except my original Baird's call which was done while shaking with adrenaline seconds after seeing it first). However, everyone who has seen it are quite adamant it looks nothing like any Dunlin they've seen before.
It is quite a bit smaller than the accompanying Dunlin and can be picked out in flight and at some distance on size alone. Jizz is quite unique too, being very aggressive towards other birds and running around more akin to Sanderling than Dunlins.
Many species have been discussed while watching the bird as well as the photos which have been seen by a number of experienced birders.
Could a small 'artica' Dunlin look like this? It hasn't got a white rump ruling our WRSand, Primary projection isn't that long ruling out Baird's, It's a little too big and doesn't seem to have webbed toes ruling out Western. The hybrid theory keeps cropping up. I'm also pretty sure I heard it call - noted as a high trill, not like any Dunlin I've heard.
Sorry again for the confusion - I feel a bit of an idiot over it.
Oh well - all interesting stuff. I'm off to look for it again now.
