Green Sandpiper?

[Kenn]

Whilst scanning the rock line at Castle Beach today spotted what looked like a sandpiper but seemed bigger that the usual ones.
Had the distictive streaked breast with white underparts and pale legs that looked longer than others of the sandpiper family.
It was a solitary bird poking about in a pool some way from the water's edge.

[gleeber]

I always try and keep away from these threads lizz because I have just a little knowledge about birds and you know what they say about a little knowledge. My wee bookie says the environment for a green sandpiper could be wrong. Birds seem to know there places in the pecking order. Mind you I had a lovely Wheatear fly into my window this morning and Ive never seen one around here ever before. Im in the town and they seem to like isolation. He got his wind back on the fence and flew off after a few minutes. Hes probably on his way to winter in Africa. After snowdrops Wheatears remind me that springs close by

[Kenn]

That's why I queeried it gleeber as I would not have expected to see one where I did but as you say birds turn up in the least expected places.

[nemosia]

Hi Lizz,

Sorry I haven't been looking at the org much as I left Caithness at the end of August. It could well have been a green sandpiper, they are a scarce passage migrants in Caithness with the majority of records in August/September. My records are far from complete but these are the ones I know of.

Iain



First Date
Last Date
Count
Location
Comments


16/08/1989

1
Wick River



17/08/1989

1
Freswick



19/08/1989
20/08/1989
1
St. John's Pool



21/08/1989

1
Spittal Mains



22/08/1989

2
St. John's Pool



17/09/1989

1
Loch Beg



01/05/1994
03/05/1994
1
Hoy



26/07/1994

1
St. John's Pool



30/07/1994

2
St. John's Pool



31/07/1994

1
Westerdale



04/08/1994
11/08/1994
1
St. John's Pool



24/08/1994

1
Loch of Mey



11/09/1994

1
Loch of Mey



11/09/1994

1
Loch Heilen



18/08/1995

1
Hollandmey



18/08/1995
23/08/1995
1
St. John's Pool



10/09/1995

1
Noss Head



12/09/1995

1
Loch of Mey



18/08/1996

1
Scrabster Brae
flushed from burn


22/08/1996

1
St. John's Pool



02/09/1996

1
Achkeepster



06/09/1996

1
Loch of Mey



06/09/1996

1
Castlehill
in rock pools


23/05/1997

1
Halsary



30/07/1997

1
Hoy



01/08/1997
04/08/1997
1
St. John's Pool



28/08/1997

1
St. John's Pool



14/09/1997

1
Wick River



16/04/2009

1
Lybster



04/09/2009

1
Sordale



04/09/2009

1
Sordale

[Kenn]

Many thanks nemosia.......may be I'm not as green as I'm cabbage looking!
Had a treat today was watching a Hen Harrier in McKay Country, what a joy.