Curlew Sandpiper - 1994

Scarce visitor. Not recorded in January, February, July and November

Mathew (1894) stated that the Curlew Sandpiper was an autumn visitor but Lockley et al. (1949) knew of only two occurrences, single birds at Pembroke Dock on 9 December 1919 and at Trefeiddan on 20 and 21 September 1930. It is now almost annual in occurrence with up to seven birds appearing at coastal localities between 26 August and 17 October.  An exceptional occurence was of nine birds at the Gann from 11 to 15 September 1988, when at least 32 were accounted for across the county, part of a major influx into western Europe.

They are only occasional in the spring, usually between 24 April and 29 June, although two were at Skokholm on 16 March 1959.

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H (1994), Birds of Pembrokeshire