Friday 2 February 2018

Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Actitis (coast-dweller) macularius ("spot")

First Winter Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) at Berkeley, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 34-50g  /  Length: 18-20cm  /  Wingspan: 40cm
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Least Concern

It is certainly the case that rare birds can turn up in the most peculiar of locations - in this particular case, along the margins of an artificial white water course in Nottingham.  It must be the first time when going to see a rare species came with spectator stands.  The spotted sandpiper is the equivalent of the Common Sandpiper for the America, breeding in the North and Wintering in the South.  Although this first Winter individual doesn't have them, the name comes from the breeding plumage adults which have a highly speckled breast.

Related Species:
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Actitis
Subspecies: none - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - A very rare vagrant
 - Single bird seen at Holme Pierrepont (January 2018) 
UNITED STATES 
Breeds throughout most of Alaska and Lower 48, Winters in South, Resident on West Coast
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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