Can anybody help me with a small wader please?  A single small wader with a flock of 50 Dunlin. In the sea, feeding on a sandbank with the Dunlin, the single bird was the same size as the Dunlin,but black bill appeared to be slightly longer. The bird had a very dark crown and a buff head and nape with a noticable paler eye stripe - or maybe eyebrow. Generally darker all over than all the Dunlin my bird was mottled grey over the wings with a black back. Black patches and streaking on the upper breast / rib area. Otherwise white underneath with dark / black legs. Sighted today in Ayr / Doonfoot at 3.30 pm.
Best regards. Bob

My best guess at the time was Curlew Sandpiper - even though the field guides noted they shouldn't be around in Nov. I checked it out with RSPB at Lochwinnoch and they also came up with Curlew Sandpiper.
I got a Purple Sandpiper with Turnstones earlier that same day

Hi  with regards to wader i would guess a curlew sandpiper, did you notice if the bill had a little downward dip at the tip and the long black legs  would indicate  a curlew.   sandpiper

agreed the guides say unlikely to be seen during this time but there are a lot of happenings in the bird world that i do not believe the writers of these guides are keeping abreast of and i would support you with description and confirmation of  points i raised #

  the eagle

I'm not convinced that birds read the guides - how do they know where they are supposed to be?

-Mark

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