Two Semipalmeated Sandpipers Calidris pusilla in Galicia, September 2001.

By Cosme Damiam Romai Cousido

Introduction
The twitch
Photos & Identification
Occurrence
How to twitch the species

In the evening of the 12th September 2001, a juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla was found in a flock of shorebirds at the Esteiro de Terra de Porto, O Grove (Ogrobe), Galicia (Galiza), during a gull and wader census carried out by the author. The bird remained in the area until 16th at least, and it was observerd by several birders. However, in this same date, another differente bird was noticed in the same point, despite they weren't observed together. The second bird remained at the Esteiro de Terra de Porto until 18th at least.  

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The twitch
In the mentioned evening of the 12th September, I decided to visit the northern seashore of O Grove (Ogrobe) peninsula (SW Galiza) to see the bird-passage there. At my first stop at the Esteiro de Terra de Porto, I noticed a medium-sized group of gulls and waders feeding in the exposed marsh (medium tide), so I decided to 'scan' as well as possible the flock before re-starting my route.   

The first census I carried out revealed a total of 201Black-headed Gulls Larus ridibundus, 6 Mediterranean Gulls Larus melanocephalus, 6 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, ~150 Yellow legged Gulls Larus (cachinnans) michahellis, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and also the flock of waders, feeding in the NW shore of the marsh. 

I walked about 200 meters to get a closer view of this group of shorebirds and, as soon as I took the first view with the telescope, I noticed the presence of a little, pallid wader mixed with several Ruddy Turnstones Arenaria interpres, Dunlins Calidris alpina and Ringed Plovers Charadrius hiaticula that were feeding in the exposed seaweeds of the shore (I also recorded a Curlew Sandpiper, a Bar-tailed Godwit and two Common Sandpipers near the flock). 

This summer-autumn passage had been very poor for shorebirds in Ogrobe, and I hadn't see any Little Stint Calidris minuta, so I thought at first that this small wader was the first one in the area during this passage (a good reason to take a good view of the bird!!!). However, the bird was so pallid and has a unusual head pattern and so odd scapulars for a typical Little Stint, and then I thought that it would be a Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla or a Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri, species both registered in the area during several years since 1997 (I observed the Semipalmated very near Terra de Porto on 6th -15th September 1997).

A closer view revealed the identity of the bird, a typical juvenile (fresh plumage) of Semipalmated Sandpiper, for me a probable female according to the bill length, showing a very tame, active behaviour, feeding or cleaning its plumage during the observation. Between 17:35 and 20:00 h. (official hour), several photographs were taken (about 26), and a sketch of the bird was made. The film was carried for processing that evening and several telephone calls were made to telling other birdwatchers about the record.

The following day, César Vidal came to Ogrobe and we visited the area for re-locating Semipalmated Sandpiper, that was observed at 17:30 at the same point, mixed with mentioned shorebirds. Tito Salvadores and José Manuel Martínez Mariño also saw the Semipalmated on Friday 14th, and I visited again the Esteiro de Terra de Porto on Saturday 15th (in the evening, when a new sketch was made) and I could see (again) the bird, feeding in the marsh during the low tide with Dunlins and Ringed Plovers. On Sunday morning, I visited again Terra de Porto (where I saw again the Semipalmated with other shorebirds) and the nearby beaches to see migrating birds. When I finished my route, I came back to Terra de Porto to try to make another sketch of the bird, but the tide was so high and the feeding group of waders including the bird had gone. However, three Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica and a Common Redshank Tringa totanus appeared suddently there and also a small wader was noticed in a small, muddy "corner" of the Esteiro near two Common Sandpipers. This bird was possitively identified as a different Semipalmated Sandpiper, bird that was observed during 10 minutes before flying away. This same morning, a CREAM-COLOURED COURSER Cursorius cursor was discovered at Ponte-Ceso, 100 Km. north of Ogrobe, so I decided to twitch it that evening with Jorge 'Xurxo' Pinheiro and José Manuel Martinez Mariño, thinking that the following date the second bird would be still at Terra de Porto.
After the sucessful Creamy Courser's twitching  :-) , the following evening José Luis Salaveri Leiras came to Ogrobe from Lugo (driving 200 km!), and we went together to Terra de Porto to try to re-locate the second Semipalmated Sandpiper. Happily, it was there with the flock of waders, that included four Curlew Sandpipers, ~12 Ringed Plovers, 10 Dunlins and two Bar-tailed Godwits. The bird was video-edited at close range. 
On 18th September, two friends of mine (also birders), Gabriel Martín García and Óscar Llama Palacios, came to Ogrobe by bus from Santiago de Compostela and they could see also the bird, and we took several photographs at close range with other shorebirds.        
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OPTICS: Telescope Swarovski ST80HD, eyepiece 20-60x. Camera Nikon F70, accoplated to the Swarovski by a Swarowski f-800 camera-adapter. Film Kodak Gold 200 ASA. Video-camera Panasonic RX-11, optical zoom 21x.

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Photos and Identification
A detailed description and photographs were taken (see above). Below there are a number of ID comments. All photos ©Cosme Damiam Romai show a Semipalmated Sandpiper*/Correlimos Semipalmeado*/Pilro semipalmado*/ Territ semipalmat* Calidris pusilla at O Grove (Ogrobe), Galicia (Galiza)on 12.9.2001. 
 

Juvenile,  in the mud with a Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula and a Dunlin Calidris alpina. In this shot we can observe Semipalmated Sandpiper’s general features (size, shape and colour) and we can compare them with the supporting cast. Note the cunky aspect and the rather bright pattern of both upperparts and cap.
Juvenil,, en el fango con un Chorlitejo Grande Charadrius hiaticula y un Correlimos Común Calidris alpina. Fotografía donde podemos observar los caracteres generales del Correlimos Semipalmeado (talla, forma y colorido) y compararlos con los del Chorlitejo Grande y del Correlimos Común.
Juvenil,  na lama de intermareal com umha Pílhara real Charadrius hiaticula e um Pilro comum Calidris alpina. Fotografia onde podemos observar os caracteres gerais do Pilro semipalmado (tamanho, forma e coraçom) e compará-los com os da Pílhara real e do Pilro comum.
(Cosme Damiám Romai Cousido).

The bird was a juvenile, here  feeding in the mud. Note the bill shape, obvious in this frontal view, with a ‘drop shape’ in the tip. Note also the small, white split supercilium and the bold, white forehead, with the ‘pointed’ start of the colour of the crown. 
Juvenil,  alimentándose en el fango. Nótese la forma del pico, muy aparente en esta visión frontal, con el extremo engrosado y en forma de gota. Ver también la pequeña bifurcación superciliar blanca, la frente blanca, con el inicio del colorido del píleo, de forma apuntada
Juvenil, possivelmente fêmea, alimentando-se na lama de intermareal. Notar a forma do bico, mui aparente nesta visom frontal, com o extremo mais grosso e com forma de pinga. Ver também a pequena bifurcaçom superciliar branca, a fronte branca, com o começo da coraçom do curuto em forma apontada.
(Cosme Damiám Romai Cousido).

Note the broad, bold, white supercilium; dark grey-brown on lores and ear-covers; rufous, streaked crown; greyish hindneck; small, white split supercilium and also the scapulars' colour pattern. 
Nótese la llamativa lista superciliar ancha y blanca, bridas y auriculares de color gris-pardusco oscuro, el píleo de color rojizo y listado de oscuro, nuca grisácea, pequeña bifurcación supeciliar blanca hacia el píleo y el patrón de coloración de las escapulares.
Notar a rechamante lista superciliar branca, as bridas e as auriculares de cor cinzenta-parda escura, o curuto de cor avermelhada e riscada de escuro, caluga cinzenta, pequena bifurcaçom superciliar branca face ao curuto e padrom de coraçom das escapulares.(Cosme Damiám Romai Cousido).

Note the colour shape on escapulars, with several feathers with the dark 'anchor' mark, very characteristic of this species. Absence of an obvious white V on mantle, short primary-projection and also 'tricoloured' pattern to tertials (with dark-grey centres, pale-rufous subterminal fringes and with whitish terminal fringes) help to tell Semipalmated Sandpipers from very similar Little Stint.
Nótese el patrón de coloración de las escapulares, con varias plumitas con la marca oscura en forma de ancla, muy característica de esta especie. La ausencia de la llamativa V blanca en el dorso, la corta proyección primaria y también el patrón "tricolor" de las terciarias (con el centro de color gris oscuro, el margen subterminal de color rojizo pálido y el borde de color blancuzco) ayuda a diferenciar al Correlimos Semipalmeado del muy similar Correlimos Menudo.
Notar o padrom de coraçom das escapulares, com várias peninhas com a marca escura com forma de áncora, mui característica desta espécie. A ausência da chamativa V branca no lombo, a curta projecçom primária e também o padrom de três cores das terciárias (com o centro de cor cinzenta-escuta, a margem subtermina de cor avermelhada-pálida e o bordo final de cor abrancaçada) ajuda a diferenciar ao Pilro semipalamdo do mui similar Pilro pequeno.
(Cosme Damiám Romai Cousido)

Juvenile,  feeding in the mud with a Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula. Note in this shot the pattern to tertials (already mentioned on Photo 4) and also the right foot, where we can see the broad start of the fingers, despite partial palmations, are not visible at all.
Juvenil, alimentándose en el fango con un Chorlitejo Grande Charadrius hiaticula. Nótese en esta fotografía el patrón de colorido de las terciarias (ya mencionada en la Foto 4) y también el pie derecho, donde podemos ver el inicio "ancho" de los dedos, aunque las palmeaduras parciales no son del todo visibles.
Juvenil, alimentando-se na lama de intermareal com umha Pílhara real Charadrius hiaticula. Notar nesta fotografia o padrom de coraçom das terciárias (já mencionada na Foto 4) e também do pé direito, onde podemos ver o início "ancho" das dedas, ainda que as palmaduras parciais nom som visíveis aqui.
(Cosme Damiám Romai Cousido).

Shot of the 'wing-stretching' of the bird. Note the white underwing with greyish colour in the end of secondaries and primaries, and also on the carpal area. White wing bar is present in this species, and is visible in this underwing shot at least in the primaries. 
Fotografía del ave estirando ambas alas. Nótese el color blancuzco general de debajo del ala, con un tono grisáceo en el final de las secundarias y las primarias, y también en la zona carpal. Esta especie presenta banda alar blanca, que es visible en esta fotografía al menos en las primarias.
Fotografia do páxaro estirando ambas asas. Notar a cor abrancaçada geral de debaixo da asa, com umha cor cinzenta no final das secundárias e das primárias, e também na zona carpal. Esta espécie apresenta banda alar branca, que é visível nesta fotografia quando menos nas primárias.
(Cosme Damiám Romai Cousido).

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Occurrence

These are two of  few records of this nearctic wader obtained in Galiza and in the whole of Spain. The Spanish Rarities Committee (CR/SEO) has accepted five previous records for Spain, two of them obtained in Galicia (Galiza):

• GALICIA/GALIZA: 
• A Coruña (Corunha). Malpica, Seiruga's beach and ria, juv., 5th October 1991 (A. Bartolomé Husson and J. L. García Allut). 
• Ponte-Ceso/Cabana, Enseada da Ínsua, juv., 7th -10th  October 1991 (J. L. Rabuñal Patiño) [Ardeola 40 (2)].
• CANARIAS (Canary Islands): Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Tenerife island, La Laguna, Tejina-Bajamar pond, juv., 18th October 1995 (P.I. Holt) [Ardeola 44 (1)].
• CATALUNYA (Catalonia): Barcelona. Llobregat Delta, ad./1st summer, 7th-9th June 1997 (F.X. Santaeufemia, R. Gutiérrez, L. López Peiró, J. Monje and R. Ramos) [Ardeola 46 (1)].
• CANARIAS (Canary Islands): Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Tenerife island, Arona, Roquito del Fraile, 1st winter moulting, 3th and 5th  May 1997 (K. Emmerson Shirley) [Ardeola 46 (1)]. 

How to twitch the species at Terra de Porto?: 
 

Location Map (above) Click on the image for a 640 pixels wide version Clicar en la imagen superior para una versión de 640 pixels de ancho Cliqueu a la imatge de dalt per a una versió del mapa de 640 pixels de dalt Detail map (right) Mapa de detalle (derecha) Mapa de detall (dreta)

There are good roads to O Grove (Ogrobe) from Pontevedra and Vigo (A-9 motorway, Vía Rápida road) and Santiago de Compostela (C-550). 
Taking the C-550 road to O Grove after several Kms. you’ll reach the urban centre (don’t take the turn-offs to A Toxa, to San Vicente or to Meloxo, but follow the road to O Grove’s urban centre). When you reach the main crossroad (crossing of Castelao Street and Rua da Praça road, where’s a Taxi rank and a Jewellery shop), turn left and take the road to Rons and to the ‘Thenaise-Prôvoté’ fish factory (Alexandre Bóveda road). About 1 Km., you’ll reach Terra de Porto, with a small football pitch near the road. This point is very close to the southern shore of the Esteiro de Terra de Porto, and you’ll see the marsh not so far north. The exact Semipalmated’s place is just 200 meters north, in the marsh, very close to several boats aground in a small beach, and very near the fish factory (that you’ll see easily).
Shorebirds only visit this place with medium and low tide, feeding at the exposed muds and seaweeds, with Black-headed Gulls (200 ) and several Mediterranean, Yellow-legged and Black-backed Gulls. 
With high tide waders rest at the rocky islets in the Costado de Rons, near Com Ruivo and Rons beaches, so we recommend to try these places to see Semipalmated Sandpiper with high tide. 
Observers must to be very careful when approaching the mentioned flock of shorebirds, to get best views of the Semipalmated Sandpiper.

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