First record of White-rumped Sandpiper for Azerbaijan

Text & Photo © Christoph Himmel

On 17 August 2017 I discovered an odd looking sandpiper during a wader study in Gyzylagach. I photographed the bird, but it flushed while approaching to get a better view. Bad luck, but at least I had some record shots.

The first feature which made this bird so interesting, were the wings extending well beyond tail and the striking supercilium, so this would fit a White-rumped Sandpiper. But after checking the pics no flank streaking and no yellowish lower mandible base was visible, so at this time it was not certainly identified.

I showed the pictures to several people, but didn’t receive a certain identification, so postponed any activities concerning the bird ID after finishing my survey. At the beginning of December I posted the pictures in the “I <3 Shorebirds” group on Facebook and received a fast and clear ID, White-rumped Sandpiper, which supports my first intention.

I want to thank Rick and Elis Simpson, Dave Bakewell and Andrew Baksh for helping me with the ID.