Semi-P at Pennington Marshes

A few hours free this morning so I thought I would head to Milford-on-Sea to see the Sabine's Gulls which have been there for a few days. The pager reported a Semipalmated Sandpiper at Pennington Marshes en route so I thought I would check that out first. A breezy 30 minute walk later from Keyhaven and the Sandpiper was seen walking around the back of the Shoveler Pools. Eventually it came quite close - a good job too, as this is one tiny bird, smaller even than the juvenile Little Stint with which it occasionally crossed paths. Its feet were usually too covered in mud to see the partial webbing between the toes which give it its name, but occasionally when it was walking through water you could just about convince yourself they were there (see bottom picture).


Semipalmated Sandpiper (left) with Little Stint