Marsh Sandpiper – Elmley RSPB Reserve, Elmley, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, 29th April 1991
Marsh Sandpiper at Elmley RSPB Reserve, Elmley, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, in late April 1991. As suggested, the light was not good rendering the bird somewhat monochrome.
Dipped Serin!! How many times will I have to write that?!?!? (This, evidently, was a recurring theme at the time).
However, I then tonked down to Elmley and caught up with another frustrating one, Marsh Sandpiper.
And relatively easy it was too, once I got to the hide. It was not good light, admittedly, but other than that, I had reasonably views.
It had extremely long legs – Jerry Hall! It also had a long, fine bill. Its summer plumage was very evident, as there were black markings within the mid-brownish upperparts.
Turned out, the 29th April was the last day of a six day stay. Just over four years later, on Sunday the 6th August 1995, I saw three juvenile Marsh Sandpipers at Cantley Beet Factory, Cantley in Norfolk, two days into their ten-day stay. Unfortunately, though, I did not see all three together as two flew off and over us as we searched for the right place; once we got there only one was to be seen.
Many, many years later, (having not been able to twitch the bird at Musselburgh Lagoons on the 18th and 19th May 1997 as my Dad and Barbara were visiting) I saw one for my Scottish list at the lagoon at nearby Morrison’s Haven on the 7th September 2025.
However, I then tonked down to Elmley and caught up with another frustrating one, Marsh Sandpiper.
And relatively easy it was too, once I got to the hide. It was not good light, admittedly, but other than that, I had reasonably views.
It had extremely long legs – Jerry Hall! It also had a long, fine bill. Its summer plumage was very evident, as there were black markings within the mid-brownish upperparts.
Turned out, the 29th April was the last day of a six day stay. Just over four years later, on Sunday the 6th August 1995, I saw three juvenile Marsh Sandpipers at Cantley Beet Factory, Cantley in Norfolk, two days into their ten-day stay. Unfortunately, though, I did not see all three together as two flew off and over us as we searched for the right place; once we got there only one was to be seen.
Many, many years later, (having not been able to twitch the bird at Musselburgh Lagoons on the 18th and 19th May 1997 as my Dad and Barbara were visiting) I saw one for my Scottish list at the lagoon at nearby Morrison’s Haven on the 7th September 2025.
Marsh Sandpiper, Elmley RSPB Reserve, Elmley, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, April 1991 (photograph credited to unknown).
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