Long-billed Dowitcher - 2013 Gann Estuary

1^st January 2013                The Gann, Pembrokeshire

At c.13:30 on 1st January 2013, I noticed a dowitcher feeding on one of the islands in the freshwater lagoon near the Gann Estuary in Dale, Pembrokeshire.  This wader was generally snipe-like in size, shape and feeding behaviour, but was strikingly grey with a strong white supercillium extending from the base of the long straight bill to behind the eye.   My first instinct was to take a record photo of the bird and then to phone David Astins, who was also birding in the area at the time. I noted the following features while waiting for David Astins to arrive:

Bill: long and straight (snipe-like), mostly black but becoming greenish towards the base.  

Head:  generally grey, but with a slightly darker crown, a dark eyestripe and a broad white supercillium extending from the base of the bill to behind the eye.

Upperparts: generally grey, with darker streaking on the mantle and no warmth in the plumage.  The scapulars and tertials were generally a clean grey with darker centres and pale whitish fringes.

Underparts: breast grey, belly white, barring on the flanks and undertail coverts.

Legs: green.

By the time that David Astins arrived, I was comfortable that the bird was a Long-billed Dowitcher, but had not seen the bird fly nor heard it call.  David stayed with the bird after I had left and noted that when the bird flew it gave a distinctive single sharp trill, which it uttered on several occasions.

Clive Hurford

February 2012

  Photo (c) Richard Crossen

Update on Sunday, April 27, 2014 at 7:41PM by Pembrokeshire Avifauna committee

Remained until at least the 23rd March, during which time it was seen by many observers,

Graham Rees