Not the best of conditions with clear blue skies and sunshine on a moderate NW>4 at 8 degrees.
Empty skies this morning with, if anything moving, will have gone over very high and unseen.
Having said that, several more waders had arrived overnight with at least 18 Dunlin now present along with 10 Common Sandpipers.
One Dunlin stood out as being much smaller and paler, so much so, that I thought I had a Sanderling. I believe it to be of the race Arctica, rather than our common race Schinzii, which pass through late May/ early June, from wintering in Africa to breed in NE Greenland. Other than its smaller size and shorter bill its head was white and barely streaked whilst the black belly patch was very small and weakly streaked. It lacked the rufous/ orange colouring on its upperparts. This is a race I,ve had on previous years at this site.
Otherwise it was down to Common Sandpipers, Redshanks and the usual species along with Swallows >N and 18 LBB gulls >NE.
Thanks Pete for the report of 2 possible Little Stint at Blackstone Edge, a good find. I put it out on the Halifax Birders grapevine but no response.
BS
BS