Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Calidris acuminata (Horsfield, 1821) (4, 28)

Photo ©

STATUS

Eurasia. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

One spring record on 21st April 1978 in Dorset and one historical winter record from 1868, otherwise it is an autumn vagrant between 20th July and 18th November.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 1848 Norfolk Great Yarmouth, adult, shot, late September, now at Castle Museum, Norwich (Acc. No. NHWCM: 1850.25).

(J. H. Gurney, Zoologist 1849: 2392, 2568; Stevenson, 1870; T. Southwell, Zoologist 1892: 405-406; H. Seebohm, Ibis 1893: 182-183; R. Bowdler Sharpe, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 1: 9; Riviere, 1930; Seago, 1977; D. J. Britton, British Birds 73: 333-334; Allard, 1990; Dye, Fiszer & Allard, 2009).

2). 1865 Norfolk Caister-on-Sea, adult, killed, 16th September, now at Castle Museum, Norwich (Acc. no. 45.87).

(H. Stevenson, Zoologist 1865: 9807-9808; T. E. Gunn, Naturalist 1865: 297; Stevenson, 1870; Eds., Field 24th Sep., 1887: 486; B. B. Riviere, British Birds 22: 328-329; Riviere, 1930; Seago, 1977; D. J. Britton, British Birds 73: 333-334; Allard, 1990).

3). 1868 Norfolk Terrington Marsh, female, killed, 9th January, now at King's Lynn Natural History Museum.

(J. H. Gurney, Zoologist 1868: 1128; J. H. Gurney & T. Southwell, Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 4: 404; B. B. Riviere, British Birds 22: 328; Riviere, 1930; Seago, 1977; D. J. Britton, British Birds 73: 333; Taylor, Seago, Allard & Dorling, 1999).

4). 1892 Norfolk Breydon Water (North wall), adult female, shot, 29th August, now at Castle Museum, Norwich (Acc. no. 125.937).

("East Anglian Daily Times" 7th Sep., 1892; Eds., Hardwicke's Science Gossip 28: 237; T. Southwell, Zoologist 1892: 356-358; J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1892: 400; "Exe" Field 1st Oct., 1892: 537; T. Southwell, Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 5: 364-366; H. Seebohm, Ibis 1893: 181-185; Patterson, 1904; Patterson, 1905; Witherby, 1920-24; Riviere, 1930; Seago, 1977; D. Britton, British Birds 73: 333; Allard, 1990; Piotrowski, 2003).

5). 1956 Clyde Clyde Estuary, Hamilton, Lanarkshire, first-winter, 13th to 21st October.

(M. F. M. Meiklejohn & C. E. Palmar, Scottish Birds 1: 7; M. F. M. Meiklejohn, W. K. Richmond & D. Stalker, Scottish Birds 1: 94-96; J. W. Campbell, Scottish Birds 1: 254; D. J. Britton, British Birds 73: 334; Thom, 1986).

6). 1961 Bedfordshire Bedford Sewage-farm, adult, 4th to 11th September.

(C. M. Swaine and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 55: 573).

7). 1963 Cleveland/Co. Durham Cowpen Marsh, Co. Durham, adult, 21st to 24th August.

(D. D. Harber and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 57: 269; P. J. Stead, British Birds 58: 18-19).

8). 1973 Cheshire & Wirral/Flintshire Shotwick Fields, Flintshire, juvenile, 14th to 25th October, flew into Cheshire briefly on 16th October, photo.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 67: 323; C. D. N. Johnson, J. D. Venables & G. A. Williams, British Birds 67: 351-352, plate 50; Cheshire Bird Report 1973: photo; Birding World 6 (6): 234, photo; J. S. A. Hunter, Cheshire Bird Report 1983: 25; E. Hardy, North-Western Bird Report 1971-85: 20; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 514; Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994; Conlin & Williams, 2017).

9). 1973 Meirionnydd Morfa Harlech, juvenile, 14th to 15th October.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 67: 323).

10). 1974 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick, St Mary's, adult, 20th to 29th September, photo.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 68: 318, plate 44; D. S. Flumm, Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1974: 24-25; British Birds 73: plates 178-181; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 54).

11). 1975 Berkshire Manor Farm Sewage-farm, Reading, adult, 17th to 22nd August.

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

12). 1976 Greater London/Surrey Staines Reservoirs, Middlesex, adult, 6th August.

(J. O'Sullivan and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 70: 423; Self, 2014).

13). 1977 Cleveland/Co. Durham Seal Sands, adult, 3rd September.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 71: 501).

14). 1978 Dorset Langton Herring, adult, 2nd April.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 72: 545, rejected; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 507).

15.0). 1982 Yorkshire Blacktoft Sands RSPB, adult, 17th September; also in Lincolnshire.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 76: 494).

15.1). 1982 Lincolnshire North Killingholme, adult, 18th to 20th September; same as Yorkshire.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 76: 494; G. P. Catley, Lincolnshire Bird Report 1982: 51-53).

16). 1983 Cheshire & Wirral Frodsham, adult, 27th to 28th August.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 523).

17). 1985 Kent Elmley, Sheppey, adult, 27th to 28th July.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 546).

18). 1985 Lothian Aberlady Bay, adult, 17th August.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 546; I. J. Andrews, Lothian Bird Report 1985: 110-111).

19). 1985 Lincolnshire Holbeach Marsh, juvenile, 24th August.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 546).

20). 1987 Kent Worth Marshes, Sandwich Bay, adult, 4th to 13th September.

(B. Fletcher, Twitching 1: 262, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 558).

21). 1993 Shetland Scatness, Mainland, adult, 13th to 15th September, photo.

(Birding World 6 (9): 345, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 527, plate 135; M. Mellor, Shetland Bird Report 1993: 117-118, photo; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).

22). 1996 Caernarfonshire Dinas Dinlle and Foryd Bay, 25th to 28th August, photo.

(Birding World 9 (8): 294, photo; Birding World 9 (12): 471, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 476).

23). 1997 Cleveland/Co. Durham Long Drag, adult, 26th August, photo.

(Birding World 10 (8): 286, photo; Birding World 10 (12): 470, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 475; Bowey & Newsome, 2012: photo).

24). 2000 Shetland Scatness and Pool of Virkie, Mainland, adult, 27th August to 1st September.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 471; P. Harvey & R. Riddington, Shetland Bird Report 2000: 93-94).

25). 2001 Kent Grove Ferry, adult, 30th August, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 569).

26). 2004 Cornwall Drift Reservoir, adult, 6th to 7th August, photo.

(Birding World 17 (8): 317, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 654; Birds in Cornwall 2004: photo).

27). 2007 Kent Oare Marshes, adult, 10th to 11th August, photo.

(Birding World 20 (8): 315, photos; British Birds 100: plate 291; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 539).

28). 2007 Yorkshire Sammy's Point, Easington, adult, 8th September, photo.

(Birding World 20 (9): 354, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 539).

29). 2010 Yorkshire Patrington Haven, adult, 22nd to 23rd August, photo; presumed same, Kilnsea, 23rd August, photo.

(Birding World 23 (8): 327, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 581).

30.0). 2010 Cleveland/Co. Durham Greatham Creek, adult, 20th to 21st September, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 581).

30.1). 2011 Cleveland/Co. Durham Greatham Creek, adult, 9th September, photo; presumed returning individual.

(Birding World 24 (9): 359, photo; Birding World 24 (12): 516, photo; Bowey & Newsome, 2012: photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 580, plate 333).

31). 2011 Avon Blagdon Lake and Chew Valley Lake, juvenile, 18th November to 16th December, photo.

(Birding World 24 (11): 447, photo; British Birds 105: plate 33; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 580).

32). 2012 Orkney Swartmill Loch, Westray, adult, 20th to 23rd July, photo.

(Birding World 25 (7): 269, photo; D. Otter & S. Otter, Scottish Birds 32: 369-370, plates 332 & 333; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 592).

P). 2022 Isle of Man Stinking Dub, Langness, adult, 29th August, photo.

(birding information services).

P). 2023 Isle of Man Stinking Dub, Langness, adult, 14th August, photo; presumed returning individual.

(birding information services).

P). 2023 Angus & Dundee Montrose Basin, adult, 10th to 12th September, photo.

(D. Pointon, Scottish Birds 44: 91-94, plates 59, 61-63).

P). 2023 Yorkshire Blacktoft Sands, 25th to 27th September, photo.

(birding information services).