Shorelark (Eremophila alpestris)

OTHER NAMES: Shore Lark, Horned Lark
Latin Etymology: Eremophila ("desert loving") alpestris ("alpine")

Three adult Shorelark (subspecies E. a. flava) at Reculver, Kent -  February 2011

Featured Subspecies: Eremophila alpestris flava

Weight: 33-45g  /  Length: 16-19cm  /  Wingspan: 30-24cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Known in America as "Horned Larks", Shore larks are the scarcest of the the three UK larks - a Winter visitor which turns up on beaches along the East Coast in numbers between a handful and a few hundred. This is perhaps balanced by the fact it is one of the most massively globally distributed species I have seen, found on every continent except Australasia and Antarctica. They also are, in my opinion, by far the most striking of the UK larks - while the other lark species of Europe have varying combinations of ochre, it has a distinctive yellow and black face and a white chest. For the most part these will probably require some awareness of where they have been sighted to find - even there I made sure to ask where exactly they'd been seen to make it easier to find them.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Alaudidae
Genus: Eremophila
Subspecies*: E. a. atlas, E. a. balcanica, E. a. kumerloevei, E. a. bicornis, E. a. penicillata, E. a. albigula, E. a. longirostris, E. a. teleschowi, E. a. argalea, E. a. elwesi, E. a. khamensis, E. a. nigrifrons, E. a. przewalskii, E. a. flava, E. a. brandti, E. a. hoyti, E. a. alpestris, E. a. praticola, E. a. giraudi, E. a. arcticola, E. a. alpina, E. a. leucolaema, E. a. enthymia, E. a. merrilli, E. a. lamprochroma, E. a. utahensis, E. a. ammophila, E. a. leucansiptila, E. a. occidentalis, E. a. strigata, E. a. sierrae, E. a. rubea, E. a. actia, E. a. insularis, E. a. adusta, E. a. enertera, E. a. aphrasta, E. a. lactea, E. a. diaphora, E. a. chrysolaema, E. a. oaxacae, E. a. peregrina 

* The Shorelark is probably imminently due to be split into 6 species, consisting of Atlas, Caucasian, Himalayan, Shore, Steppe and Horned larks.  Obviously, if this happens, this list will decrease substantially.     

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare Winter visitor (c. 74 birds)

 - A trio seen at Reculver,in February 2011        

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

Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Calidris (grey waterbird mentioned by Aristotle) maritima ("of the sea")

Adult  Purple Sandpiper  (Calidris maritima) at Bridlington Harbour, East Yorkshire -  April 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 50-105g  /  Length: 20-22cm  /  Wingspan: 40-46cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Purple Sandpiper is one of these birds where I cant really say where it's name comes from, it is only very slightly purple if you squint at it in certain lights. According to the RSPB, this bird is found mainly North of the Humber, but I found a trio of these fellows along a bit of rocky jetty in Herne Bay in Kent. Supposedly, South End and Margate are also good for them, so perhaps that area is worth checking out too. When identifying this bird look for the curved yellow beak and stubby yellow legs. These ones weren't too hard to photograph at all - they were relatively close to me and didn't seem bothered, although they had the benefit of a railing and a scramble across slippery rocks to their benefit if I had been trying to eat them or something.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Calidris
Subspecies - none - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - An uncommon and local Wintering species (13000 birds) and very rare breeding species (1-3 pairs)

 - A small number at Herne Bay in February 2012,associating with some roosting redshank.

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

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Sanderling (Calidris alba)

OTHER NAMES: White, Beach-bird, Ruddy Plover

Latin Etymology: Calidris (water bird mentioned by Aristotle) alba ("white")

Flock of adult Sanderling (Calidris alba) in non-breeding plumage at Margate, Kent -  October 2018

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 40-100g  /  Length: 18-20cm  /  Wingspan: 43cm
UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Sanderling is a very small wader which can be seen scuttling along the waters edge looking for food. It is really a winter migrant coastal bird, but odd individuals may occasionally turn up in later in other seasons - a very distant sighting of one at Rutland during the spring being an example of this. I found some photographable ones however as Swalecliff - literally only a few meters away from me, they were exceedingly easy to photograph.  In this country we only see them in their Winter plumage - a distinctively white and silver pattern, but while breeding they turn mottled brown, but as their breeding territory is largely in the arctic circle, this is not something we get to see.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae 
Genus: Calidris
Subspecies: none - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A locally common Winter migrant (17000 birds)

 - Often seen on sandy beaches in Winter.  Sites include Herne Bay, Reculver, and Camber Sands. Vagrants at Rutland Water and Trevose Head   

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

Brent Goose (Branta bernicla)

OTHER NAMES: Brant Goose
Latin Etymology: Branta ("burnt" from Old Norse) bernicula ("barnacle")

Brent Goose (subspecies B. b. bernicula - "Dark-bellied Brent Goose") at Margate, Kent -  October 2018

Featured Subspecies: Branta bernicla bernicla (the "Dark-bellied Brent Goose")
Weight: 600-2200g  /  Length: 55-66cm  /  Wingspan: 106-121cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Brent Goose is probably a species most easily seen on the coast in the Winter - it forms large flocks which makes it easy to see and find, but conversely, it is probably quite thinly distributed in where these flocks turn up. Individuals or small groups may also sometimes appear, as in theno-cane case of the single Brent Goose which formed my first ever Brent Goose sighting - unfortunatly it was plonked on the far bank of the Thames beyond my photography range. The birds in the photograph however, were part of a very large flock near Reculver in Kent - and generally the North Kent Coast is going to be a reliable site for them, probably any site between Oare Marshes and Ramsgate during the Winter should have them pass by sooner of later.

Related Species:

Order: Anseriformes

Family: Anatidae 

Genus: Branta 
Subspecies: B. b. bernicla, B. b. hrota, B. b. nigricans, B. b. orientalis

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Locally commom Winter visitor; B. b. bernicula (91,000 birds) and B. b. hrota (31,400 birds). B. b. nigricans an annual vagrant. 

 - Dark-bellied subspecies a locally abundant Winter visitor in North Kent; Herne Bay, Reculver and Oare Marshes being good sites. 

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

Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

OTHER NAMES: Black-bellied plover, Gray plover, Silver plover, Grey sandpiper

Latin Etymology: Pluvialis ("relating to rain") squatarola (Venetian name for a kind of plover)

Three adult Winter Grey Plover (subspecies P. s. squatarola) at Reculver, Kent - February 2014

Featured Subspecies: Pluvialis squatarola squatarola* (see subspecies notes below)

Weight: 190-280g  /  Length: 27-30cm  /  Wingspan: 71-83cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Another estuary specialist, in this case a Winter migrant. Unfortunately this means that ordinarily the UK never gets to see this bird in it's striking black, white and silver summer plumage although I had the great luck to find a single individual in un-seasonal plumage in January amidst dozens of its winter plumaged brethren. As a target for photography, it probably depends very much on position of your vantage point to where they are - they would probably fly off if approached in the open, but hides overlooking roost sites or tidal flats hold the potential for good views.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Pluvialis
Subspecies: either - monotypic OR P. s. squatarola, P. s. cynosuae, P. s. tomkovichi

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Locally common Wintering species (43,000 individual) and locally common Spring Passage Migrant (70,000 individuals)

 - Common in Winter at Oare Marshes, Elmley Marshes and Gravesend. 

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in Alaska, Wintering range along most of the Coast of the Lower 48.
- CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley

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

Black-Tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)

OTHER NAMES: Common Godwit, Warwhelp, Yarwhip
Latin Etymology: Limosa (species specific name) limosa (species specific name)

 Adult moulting plumage Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - April 2026

Featured Subspecies: Limosa limosa islandica (?)

Weight: 280-340g  /  Length: 39cm  /  Wingspan: 70-82cm

UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List Near Threatened

Technically speaking, the Black Tailed Godwit is the rarer of Britain's two Godwits, but seeing it is probably easier than the bar tailed for two reasons - firstly it has a greater summer presence in the UK compared to the Bar-tail being almost enitrely a winter migrant. Secondly, the Black-tail can be found much more widely on fresh water than the Bar-tail, meaning that it can be seen inland. Combined together it basically means that unlike the Bar-tail, seeing this bird doesn't require going to the sea in Winter. I found photographing it in general relatively easy - it's large size being a good advantage in that regard, but it doesn't seem to be the kind of bird which favours birdwatching close to hides or vantage points from the ones I've seen. Sadly, the bird in this photograph had a broken wing, and this is likely the only reason I got a photo this clear without it flying off.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae 
Genus: Limosa 
Subspecies: L. l. islandica, L. l. limosa, L. l. melanuroides

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare breeding species (c. 55 pairs), locally commong Wintering bird (44,000 birds) and passage migrant (12,400 birds)

 - Seen at sites including Rutland Water, Rainham Marshes, Elmley Marshes. Herne Bay and Oare Marshes

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

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