Semipalmated Sandpiper

I got back from my days birding yesterday and I signed onto BirdGuides and went on Bird News Extra to see what birds had been seen so far in that day. If you haven’t already subscribed to BirdGuides for free I would recommend that you do so as it's a fantastic website.

I logged into Bird News extra and I was almost devastated to read:"19/08/09 - Semipalmated Sandpiper - Northumbs - Cresswell pond NWT"

I rang my friend Stew and he couldn't go so I put a message on Durham Bird Club forum asking if anyone was going and if so if I could come with them. Worried that I wouldn’t get a reply I told Mum the bird was there and she said she would take me in the afternoon. HOWEVER I got a phone call from a member who knows me and said he was going and that I could come. Few.....So I got up bright and early and we where on our way to Creswell pond NWT. We where told that we had just missed the bird by 10-15 mins! After a scam of Creswell Pond we went down onto the beach. A scam revealed some waders in the distance so we headed for them. We got there set our scopes up and a few minutes later Neil who I was with found it! I got my scope on it and Neil went back quickly to the car park to get the other birders. He returned with a few other birders and we got our scopes on it and watched it for quite a long time.
Cracking little bird! This bird takes my Life List up to 197 and my year list 179.

(From right: Dunlin, Semipalmated Sandpiper in background take note of the size difference)

(From FAR right: The bird that is furthest right on the shore is the Semipalmated Sandpiper other birds on the left are Knot, Sanderling, and Dunlin)

(Best photo (in my opinion) of the Semiplamated Sandpiper I could get)