This juvenile white-rumped sandpiper was first seen at Kenfig Pool on 29 October. Like many Nearctic waders, it is ridiculously tame, and will approach within a few metres of people watching it. The bird's left eye is often slightly closed, and there is a mark under it suggesting the bird has collided with something, or had a close shave with a predator. Locals say the eye is improving day-by-day, so hopefully the bird will make a full recovery. Identification features include the bird's shape - it is elongated with primaries that project beyond the tail, and it looks oval and somewhat flattened when viewed front-on, the prominent supercilium, the whitish underparts, and 'V'patterning on the scapulars that resembles a stint. In flight the bird called: the narrow white rump was obvious, and the call was a single, high-pitched 'zeep' note.

Back to November 2007