Saturday 5th September was a free day and with a Semi-palmated Sandpiper having been found at Hayle a few days previously I decided to go and have a look for it. I last saw a Semi-palmated Sandpiper in 1986 at Minsmere in Suffolk where I had some very close views of a bird with a limp feeding right in front of the East Hide, I even managed to see its webbed toes, and I was very hopeful of catching up with another bird after a 34 year gap.
It was a beautiful September day with mostly sunny skies but a chilly breeze and I arrived at The Carnsew Pool in Hayle at just after 10:00am. A gaggle of Birders were stood along the footpath near the Tempest Factory where the Sandpiper was mostly being reported from and when I reached them the good news was that the bird was still present but the bad news was that it had flown off.
It was quickly refound though just down river from our position and after a short walk along The Carnsew Pool footpath I was having some very close views of it as it roosted amongst the rocks and seaweed with Dunlin and Turnstone just a few metres away from the footpath. And that is where it stayed for the next 3 hours, occasionally waking up for a quick preen and stretch before going back to sleep or moving position slightly when Dunlin or Turnstone came too close.
Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Dunlin
Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Dunlin
Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Dunlin
A Peregrine zoomed through spooking all the birds feeding out along the estuary on the dropping tide but the Sandpiper stayed put, crouching down low to the ground before returning to sleep and it was also interesting to see it wake up when mobile phones went off, waders alarm called or dog walkers used their dog whistles.
Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Dunlin
Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Dunlin
Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Dunlin
Semi-palmated Sandpiper
It was a very smart looking bird and the views were great especially through my telescope but it was often partially obscured by the seaweed and rocks and mostly slept with its bill tucked under its wings. It was very easy to overlook and its noticeably smaller size compared to the nearby Dunlin was the easiest way to initially pick it out but I never managed to get a view of its webbed toes this time.
I was more excited by a juvenile Little Gull which was feeding on The Carnsew Pool, a very smart looking bird if a little distant but again some nice views were had with my telescope. I guess I am just not a proper Twitcher at heart.
Juvenile Little Gull with Black-headed Gull
Other birds seen were a Knot, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 Whimbrel, Ringed Plover, a Greenshank, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Grey Heron, Little Egret and Wigeon and with the Semi-Palmated Sandpiper not seeming to be wanting to wake up anytime soon I left for home a little earlier than planned but it had been a very enjoyable trip.
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