THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER – Calidris pusilla
As with all reports of rare and scarce birds they are subject to ratification by the respective rarities committees
A better understanding of 'peep' identification has led to nearly one hundred and twenty Semipalmated Sandpipers being detected in Britain and Ireland most during the autumn period, but spring birds are becoming more frequent. There is a distinct south-west bias to the records and prior to 1999 very few had been identified in Scotland. In 1999 there was an exceptional influx of 17 birds, mainly to western Scotland. The first British record was an adult on Arnold's Marsh at Cley in Norfolk on July 19th 1953. It was watched for several hours at close range but the identity stumped the observers. Several photographs and cine film was taken as the bird came within a few metres. Copies of the photos and film were sent to America where it was identified as a Semipalmated Sandpiper.
There has been one Semipalmated Sandpiper reported from S. Gloucestershire, in;
1990: (1)
On August 12th an adult was identified on the silt Lagoon at Oldbury Power Station, it was present in the area for three days and was last seen on August 14th. This occurrence constitutes the first record of this species in S. Gloucestershire and was probably the 28th British record.