Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Limosa (species specific name) haemastica ("bloody)

Moulting adult Hudsonian godwit (Limosa haemastica) at Cattawade, Suffolk - August 2026

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 300g  /  Length: 37-42cm  /  Wingspan: 74cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Vulnerable 

Arguably the most remote and understudied of the four godwit species, they breed in largely remote near coastal bogs of Alaska and Canada before migrating to the very south of South America, primarily along the Argentinian Coast. This bird was a very off course vagrant having somehow found its way to the UK, where less than 10 individuals have ever been recorded.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Limosa
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 
 
- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Extremely infrequent vagrant.

 - Birds seen at Cattawade, Suffolk 

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

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Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Calidris (bird named by Aristotle) subruficollis ("rufous-necked") 

Juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - October 2023

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 63g  /  Length: 19-23cm  /  Wingspan: 46cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

An unusual looking wader that breeds in the Arctic of Alaska, Canada and Russia before taking part in a vast migration down to Winter in Uruguay and the surrounding areas. It's vast migration makes it prone to vagrancy, and has turned up in many parts of the world. They leave the nest within 12 hours of hatching and are able to feed themselves.

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

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare vagrant
 - Vagrant seen at Frampton Marshes in October 2023.

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

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Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Tringa (bird named by Aristotle) flavipes ("yellow foot")

Non-breeding Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - September 2023

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 48-114g  /  Length: 23-25cm  /  Wingspan: 59-64cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A medium sized if slender wader that spans the length of the Americas from it's breeding grounds in Alaska to it's wintering grounds spreading right down the length of South America. Despite the name association, it is not the closest relative of the Greater Yellowlegs, but nonetheless it is a species that gives a very similar impression, largely differentiated by size and structural detail.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Tringa
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare vagrant
 - Vagrant seen at Frampton Marshes in September 2023.

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

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Eurasian Dotterel (Charadrius morinellus)

OTHER NAMES: Dotterel
Latin Etymology: Charadrius (a bird named in the Vulgate Bible) morinellus ("foolish")

Adult Female Eurasian Dotterel (Charadrius morinellus) at Piddington, Northants - May 2021

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 90-145g  /  Length: 20-22cm  /  Wingspan: 57-64cm
UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

Dotterels are one of the scarcest of waders found in the UK - a bird of high mountains that migrates to Northern Africa for the Winter. It is also unusual in that the female is the more brightly coloured, and the male incubates the chicks. Outside the UK it is a widespread species found across much of the Northern reaches of Eurasia, plus in highly mountainous areas. It was historical regarded as a particularly foolish bird due to its tame nature.

Related Species:

Order: Charadriiformes

Family: Charadridae

Genus: Charadrius

SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A very localised breeder in Scottish mountains, and passage migrant elsewhere

 - Two birds on passage seen at Piddington - May 2021.

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

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Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)

OTHER NAMES: Dusky Redshank, Greater Redshank

Latin Etymology: Tringa (bird named by Aristotle) erythropus ("red-footed")

Adult Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus) in Autumn moult plumage at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - August 2023

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 125-160g  /  Length: 29-33cm  /  Wingspan: 59-66cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The rarest of the three "shanks" found in the UK, the Spotted Redshank is more delicate and pale than the redshank.  Spotted Redshanks are primarily passage migrants, turning up in Autumn and Spring although a few do overwinter, such as the one photographed here.   Finding one can be tricky - you need to get the hang of seeing the differences between them and a Common Redshank which is hard to do without actually seing one in the first place.  Key identification features include the longer thinner beak with a black upper jaw, larger pale stripe above the eye and general paler colours overall.

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

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare passage migrant (540 birds) and very rare Winter migrant (98 birds)

 - A bird at Oare Marshes in September 2012 plus a bird at Crayford Marshes in in February 2012 . 

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

Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)

OTHER NAMES: American Pectoral Sandpiper, Grass Snipe
Latin Etymology: Calidris (bird mentioned by Aristotle) melanotos ("black-backed")

Adult Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotus) in non-breeding plumage, at Pitsford Reservoir, Northants - September 2011

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 73g  /  Length: 21cm  /  Wingspan: 46cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Pectoral Sandpiper is a primarily a North American species, and is not established in Europe, but is one of the most consistent New World vagrants to reach Europe. It has even apparently bred once or twice, but the exact information about that seems fairly hidden beyond "it did happen". Care must be taken to differentiate it from Dunlin - the key feature being the clean cut line on the chest where the markings stop and go to white - hence the name "pectoral". It is generally juveniles which turn up here, and because they can literally arrive anywhere, it is almost certainly easier to follow reports from other people rather than to go off to try and find your own, unless there has been a particular influx.

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

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare but annual vagrant, has reportedly bred on a small number of occasions

 - Vagrant bird seen at Pitsford Reservoir in September 2011.

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

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Tringa (unidentified bird named by Aristotle) glareola ("gravel")

Adult Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glarola) at Florican Grasslands, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 55g  /  Length: 19-23cm  /  Wingspan: 56-57cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Wood Sandpipers are quite a rare species in the UK - they pass through on passage in reasonable numbers, but, only a small number pairs breed in the country each year - all in the Scottish Highlands. It is most easily separated from the other species named sandpipers by the prominent speckling and prominent eye-stripe - though actually the name is a little misleading - it is more closely related to the "shanks" than the Common Sandpiper.  My first sighting was seen while on passage, which is probably the best way to see them in the UK without a trip to Scotland. Much later, I saw two in Cambodia, which are Wintering grounds for this species, and therefore much more easily seen there.

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

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A very rare breeding species (11-27 pairs) and rare passage migrant

 - A single bird seen on passage at Summerleys Nature Reserve in May 2011.

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ទីតលីតស្លាបក្រោមត្នោតខ្ចី ("Beige Underwing")

A Winter migrant

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: One Florican Grassland Reserve

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

Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)

OTHER NAMES: Barred-rumped Godwit, Pacific Ocean Godwit, Southern, Small Godwit

Latin Etymology: Limosa (species specific name) lapponica ("of Lapland")

Adult Winter Bar-tailed Godwit (subspecies L. l. lapponica) at Thornham Harbour, Norfolk - November 2021

Featured Subspecies: Limosa lapponica lapponica
Weight: 190-630g  /  Length: 37-41cm  /  Wingspan: 70-80cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

Despite being, in theory at least, the more numerous of the two British Godwit species, I've personally found finding "Barwits" much harder than their counterpart. The reasons for this are relatively simple in some cases - unlike the Black-tailed, the Bar-tailed is essentially exclusively found on the coast and occasionally up the shores of the larger rivers. Telling the differences between Godwits isn't necessarily easy at first but can be acquired with some practice.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Limosa
Subspecies: L. l. lapponica, L. l. taymyrensis, L. l. menzbieri, L. l. baueri

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Locally common Winter Vistor (41,000 birds)

 - Birds seen at Reculver,

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

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 .

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 .

Red Knot (Calidris canutus)

OTHER NAMES: Knot

Latin Etymology: Calidris (grey waterbird mentioned by Aristotle) canuta (named for legendary King Canute)

Moulting Red Knot (subspecies C. c. islandica) at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - August 2023

Featured Subspecies: Calidris canutus islandica
Weight: 100-200g  /  Length: 80-100cm  /  Wingspan: 121-160cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

 The name "knot" is derived from the legendary king Canute and his own inability to hold back the tide - pretty fitting for a shorebirds whose life is structured around their movements.  The knot is an exclusively coastal based wader (although, as with most birds, there are going to be occasional exceptions for vagrants) best known for the huge flocks it forms when roosting. It is primarily found in the mouths of major estuaries. The main downside to this bird is that it is present only in the Winter, and going near mudflats in Winter isn't exactly everyone's cup of tea. In its rather drab Winter colours it is not necessarily that easy to pick out amongst similarly drab dunlin, but it's main identifying feature is that it is the largest of the sandpiper-y waders, though not as the larger plovers like golden or grey.

Related Species:

Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae

Genus: Calidris
Subspecies: C. c. roselaari, C. c. rufa, C. c. canutus, C. c. islandica, C. c. rogersi, C. c. piersmai

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Locally abundant Winter migrant (320,000 birds)

 - A number seen at Elmley Marshes on Winter visits to the first hides.

  

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

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Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

OTHER NAMES: Pygmy Curlew, Curlew Stint, Redcrop
Latin Etymology: Calidris (bird named by Aristotle) ferruginea ("rust coloured")

 Adult moulting Curlew Sandpiper  (Calidris ferruginea) at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - August 2023

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 43-67g  /  Length: 19-21.5cm  /  Wingspan: 48-41cm
UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

The curlew sandpiper is a passage migrant that mainly passes through the UK in August and September, your best bet to see them is probably visiting estuaries and marshes during these months. I can't claim to have any further information on seeing them, but they didn't seem notably more difficult to photograph than any other wader for their size.  Though they are fairly similar in size to Dunlin, they can be identified by the grey plumage and longer curved beaks.

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

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - An uncommon passage migrant (670 birds) 

 - Seen on migration at Rutland Water in 2010.  Better views had at Oare Marshes in September 2010.

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

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Ruff (Calidris pugnax)

OTHER NAMES: Reeve

Latin Etymology: Philomachus ("pugnacious") pugnax ("fond of fighting")

Winter Plumage Ruff (Calidris pugnax) at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - February 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 180g  /  Length: 29-32cm  /  Wingspan: 54-60cm

UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Ruff is the sole member of its genus, which is found in the broader "sandpipers and allies" family of Scolopacidae. In the UK, it is actually a relatively rare bird with only 800 wintering and less than 40 breeding, and otherwise mainly seen on passage. Not knowing this, before I started the Bird-dex I actually must have seen a sizable chunk of that 700 on one lagoon at Rutland Water at one point, and at the time I didn't think much of it, but subsequently I've never seen such a large quantity at once. Oare Marshes in Spring and Autumn seems to be a pretty reliable site to get good close up views of these birds.  Ruff are a very variable species visually, that can come in a variety of colours, not even counting the spectacular namesake ruff which is hard to see in this country.

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

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A very rare breeding secies (0-11 females) and scarce Wintering species (820 birds) 

 - Seen at Rutland Water, Oare Marshes, Pitsford Reservoir and Rainham - generally in Autumn.

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

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Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

OTHER NAMES: Greenshank

Latin Etymology: Tringa (bird named by Aristotle) nebularia ("mist")

Adult Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularis) at Eyebrook Reservoir, Rutland - August 2026

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 125-290g  /  Length: 30-35cm  /  Wingspan: 68-70cm
UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Greenshanks are perhaps a bird which can be awkward to see at any particular time of the year - they Summer in the Scottish Highlands, which is quite out of the way for many people while in Winter they stay on the West coast for the most part. Perhaps the best time of year to see them without a large trip is on passage in Autumn, where they can be seen in larger numbers than the resident population along more accessible parts of the country, but are still fairly scarce on the ground.  My general impression is that they are one of the more flighty waders, and tend to fly away from humans they see even at fairly long distances.

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

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Local breeding species (700-1500 birds), rare Wintering species (770 birds) and uncommon passage migrant (4500+ birds)

 - Seen at several sites on passage including Rutland Water, Rainham Marshes, Pitsford Reservour and Faversham

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