SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER Limnodromus griseus

A typical Arctic breeder wintering to the south in the Americas, its westerley distribution makes it by far the rarer of the two well-known Dowitchers on this side of the Atlantic. Similarities between the two, especially in non-breeding plumages, mean that there may have actually been more British occurences, but Long-billed is definitely the commoner by a factor of two or three hundred. There have now been four British records, but dowitchers often stay for long periods so most people have caught up with one if they want to. The right hand shot is the famous Rosehearty "first", a juvenile.

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