Black Hole Marsh - Sat 15 Aug

News of a probable Baird's Sandpiper near Seaton in Devon broke just after lunch, so I made the decision to go and check it out. Baird's Sandpiper is on my UK list but has always been one of those species that I wanted to see again just to underline it, and having dipped the last two I'd gone to see this was really too good an opportunity to miss.
At around 2.30pm I arrived at Black Hole Marsh and walked out to the Island Hide where a very kind birder let me view the bird through his 'scope. Excellent stuff, a cracking little wader! I then got my own 'scope set up and enjoyed some great views for the next ten minutes or so. Initially I was a little concerned with the boldness of the supercilium and the wing projection past the tail, but comparing photos with my various field guides when I got home, as well as talking to a couple of exceptional birders on site left me happy that it was a indeed an adult Baird's Sandpiper.

 

 

As you will see from the photos above, there was a deposit on the legs of the bird. Presumably this was salt from a salt pan that the Baird's Sandpiper had previously been feeding on. With these being numerous in the Canary Islands and south-west Mediterranean it is possible the bird headed north from a location in the southern Western Palearctic...though I guess no-one will ever really know!
I didn't really check out much else whilst on site, but a single Ruff was seen as well as a couple of Common Sandpipers and good numbers of Black-tailed Godwits and Redshank. It's been a while since I was last down this way, and I must say I am really impressed with the facilities down at Seaton. All in all a very good afternoon out.