Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla (Vieillot, 1819) (4, 38)

Photo © Donna Dewhurst, USFWS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

STATUS

North America. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

Seven individuals have arrived in July, but the main period is August to October for this vagrant, although three spring individuals occurred during May.

Five have arrived in Scotland and one in Wales, with the south-west of England hosting eighteen individuals.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 1853 Cornwall Mounts Bay, Marazion, shot, 10th October.

(E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1854: 4296-4297; Yarrell, 1856; E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1870: 2273; Couch, 1878; Yarrell, 1871-85; Seebohm, 1883-85; Ed., Field 18th May 1889: 687; J. Clark & F. R. Rodd, Zoologist 1907: 286; J. Clark, Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall 17: 134; Penhallurick, 1969).

2). 1869 Devon Northam Burrows, shot, 22nd September.

(E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1869: 1920; E. H. Rodd, Field 23rd Oct., 1869: 347; M. S. C. Rickards, Zoologist 1870: 2025, 2385; Harting, 1872; Yarrell, 1871-85; Moore, 1969; Tyler, 2010).

3). 1890 Cornwall Near Mousehole, shot, September.

(Anon., Transactions of the Penzance Natural History Society 3: 272; J. Clark, Zoologist 1907: 286; J. Clark, Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall 17: 134; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 268; Penhallurick, 1969).

4). 1892 Devon Northam Burrows, seen, 16th August, shot, 22nd August.

(H. A. Evans, Zoologist 1892: 411; Anon., Proceedings of the Zoological Society 1893: 178; Saunders, 1899; Moore, 1969; Tyler, 2010).

5). 1955 Shetland Pool of Virkie, Mainland, female, shot, 14th August, now at National Museums of Scotland (NMSZ 1956.8.2).

(T. Henderson, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin 3: 76; E. V. Baxter, Scottish Naturalist 69: 170; Eds., Scottish Birds 4: 504; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007).

6). 1962 Isles of Scilly St Agnes, 4th October.

(D. D. Harber & C. M. Swaine and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 56: 400; D. I. M. Wallace, British Birds 56: 462-464; D. I. M. Wallace, British Birds 57: 124-125).

7). 1965 Clyde Cadder, near Lenzie, Lanarkshire, 11th to 14th September.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 60: 334; W. M. M. Eddie & D. J. Norden, Scottish Birds 4: 504-506).

8). 1966 Devon Lundy, trapped with Semipalmated Sandpiper C. pusilla, 8th September.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 60: 318).

9). 1966 Cornwall River Camel, Amble Down, 12th to 22nd September.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 60: 318; J. E. Beckerlegge, Cornwall Bird Watching & Preservation Society Report 1966: 32).

10). 1966 Devon Lundy, 14th to 15th September, trapped 14th September.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 60: 318; Davis & Jones, 2007).

11). 1971 Staffordshire Cannock Chase Reservoir, 9th to 11th August.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 65: 333).

12). 1972 East Glamorgan Aberthaw, 2nd September.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 66: 341).

13). 1975 Berkshire Brimpton Gravel-pits, 11th October.

(J. N. Dymond and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 69: 337).

14). 1976 Kent Sandwich Bay, 24th October.

(J. O'Sullivan and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 70: 422).

15). 1977 Hampshire Farlington Marshes, 22nd May.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 71: 500).

16). 1983 Cornwall College Reservoir, juvenile, 3rd to 9th September.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 546).

17). 1983 Cambridgeshire Grafham Water, Huntingdonshire, juvenile, 18th September.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 522).

18). 1984 Sussex Pett Pools, adult, 28th July.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 546).

19). 1984 Kent Dungeness RSPB, adult, 18th to 25th August, crippled legs and missing toes, photo.

(British Birds 77: plate 242; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 546).

20). 1986 Cornwall Portscatho, first-winter to first-summer, 9th February to 20th April, photo.

(British Birds 79: plates 145 & 146; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 80: 536, plates 67, 271 & 285; M. A. Golley, British Birds 83: 502-503; Saunders, 1991: 109, photo).

21). 1988 Derbyshire Middleton Moor, adult, 17th to 19th July.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 523; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 554).

22). 1988 North-East Scotland Rigifa Farm, Cove, near Aberdeen, adult, 31st July to 4th August, photo.

(Birding World 1 (8): 258, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 523; North-east Scotland Bird Report 1988: 59-60; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 461; Phillips, 1997: plate 9; Birding Scotland 5 (1): plate 16).

23). 1988 Worcestershire Upton Warren, adult, 13th to 15th August, photo.

(S. M. Whitehouse, Birding World 1: 286, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 523).

24). 1991 Yorkshire Beacon Lane Ponds, Kilnsea, adult, 28th to 29th July.

(Birding World 4 (7): 231, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 526).

25). 1991 Cornwall Landulph Marsh, adult, 25th August.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 526).

26). 1993 Cornwall Hayle, juvenile, 22nd September to 4th October, photo.

(Birding World 6 (9): 344, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 526, plate 134).

27). 1995 Sussex Sidlesham Ferry, adult, 19th to 25th July, photo.

(Birding World 8 (7): 245, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 500).

28). 1999 Yorkshire Blacktoft Sands RSPB, juvenile, 17th to 23rd October, photo.

(Birding World 12 (11): 432, photo; British Birds 92: plate 286; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 93: 345, 531; Yorkshire Rare and Scarce Birds Report 1998-99: photo).

29.0). 2002 Staffordshire Drayton Bassett, 23rd to 25th May, photo; also in Warwickshire.

(Birding World 15 (5): 183, photo; British Birds 95: plate 230; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 568, plate 349).

29.1). 2002 Warwickshire Fisher’s Mill Gravel-pit, 25th May; presumed same as Staffordshire.

(P. A. Fraser and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 712).

30). 2003 Buckinghamshire/Hertfordshire Startop's End Reservoir, adult, 5th to 12th August, photo.

(Birding World 16 (8): 314, photos; Birding World 16 (12): 514, photo; British Birds 96: plate 332; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 579, plate 339; M. Campbell, Buckinghamshire Bird Report 2003: 13, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 653).

31). 2005 Devon South Milton Ley and Thurlestone Marsh, adult, 28th August to 7th September, photo.

(Birding World 18 (8): 313, photo; Birding World 18 (12): 511, photo; British Birds 98: plate 344; P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 39; P. A. Fraser and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 712; Devon Bird Report 2005: photo).

32). 2006 Cornwall Hayle Estuary, juvenile, 17th September to 25th October, photo.

(Birding World 19 (9): 354, photo; Birding World 19 (10): 403, photo; British Birds 99: plate 318; P. A. Fraser and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 712, plate 341; Birds in Cornwall 2006: photo).

33). 2007 Outer Hebrides Butt of Lewis, Lewis, juvenile, 12th October, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 538, plate 268).

34). 2011 Yorkshire Old Moor RSPB, adult, 26th May, photo.

(Birding World 24 (5): 185, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 579).

35). 2011 Shetland South Ness, Foula, juvenile, 14th to 24th September, photo.

(Birding World 24 (9): 362, photo; British Birds 104: plate 381; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 579, plate 332).

36). 2011 Isles of Scilly South beach then Great Pool, Tresco, juvenile, 4th to 15th October, photo.

(Birding World 24 (10): 407, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 579).

37). 2015 Isles of Scilly Big Pool, St Agnes, 2CY+, 16th to 24th July, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 587).

38). 2016 Norfolk Cley Marshes, 2CY+, 7th to 8th July, photo.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 579, plate 308).

39). 2016 Devon Black Hole Marsh, Seaton Wetlands, two, 2CY+, 2nd to 4th August, photo.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 579, plate 308).

41). 2017 Dorset Lodmoor RSPB, 1CY, 10th to 19th September, photo.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 572, plate 367).

42). 2022 Cornwall Drift Reservoir, 27th July to 3rd August, photo.

(BBRC).

P). 2024 Yorkshire Kilnsea, adult, 3rd July, photo.

(British Birds 117: plate 346).