Solitary sandpiper - an American vagrant.

Yesterday, I went further than I normally like to twitch for the solitary sandpiper at Black Hole Marsh, Seaton in Devon. I started off going to Chew Valley Lake for the ferruginous ducks but, when news came in that the sandpiper was still there, I re-set the satnav for Devon, my home county!!

On arrival the bird was fairly close; 40 metres but it then flew closer, under the bank where no-one could see it. Eventually it moved away as it fed and good views were had by all. It's very similar to a green sandpiper but has a dark rump in flight (green sandpiper is white), is slightly smaller and more delicately built and has narrower wings. The tail is thinner, too.

Solitary sandpiper.

After watching it for 45 mins I headed off to Chew Valley where I got distant views of the ferruginous duck about 500 metres away in a flock of about 1000+ tufted ducks and pochards.