ML626953963

Observation details

6th bird I got onto the beach through the scope. Initial reaction was: what the $&@“ is that. And then again, what the actual &?!8&!@ is THAT?? Eventually the self doubt subsided and nordy began to feel like a real thing, I had told Josh before getting to the site that we’d find one and didn’t think it’d happen so quickly. I then frantically got Josh onto the bird and he got some great shots. I’ve heard people use the analogy of Terek Sandpiper with these birds and that’s definitely the initial field impression I had. Dashing around the beach with a hunched posture, often snatching up polychaetes by putting its whole head under the water and mud - markedly different to the careful surface gleaning of COGR. Clean pale underwing coverts noted in flight. A lifer for both us and an extremely exciting moment