Hi all

There has been debate elsewhere recently about the identification of assorted 
Calidrids on the Azores, where Little Stint is a scarce migrant, Semipalmated 
Sandpiper is a rarer visitor in autumn (about half as many records) and Western 
Sandpiper is a less-than-annual vagrant.

I have seen a number of Semipalmated Sandpipers in the islands, which are the 
most westerly outpost of the Western Palearctic, and at least two Little Stints, 
as well as another small but rather long-billed calidrid. It is the identity of 
this last bird which I'm currently soliciting opinions about; see the image on 
my blog at www.birdingetc.com. Comments left so far favour Western over 
Semipalmated (with one for Dunlin); I'd welcome more input from the seasoned 
shorebird observers on this list as to what they think it is and why, so 
comments on the blog would be welcome.

Thanks

Dominic Mitchell
--
www.birdingetc.com
http://twitter.com/LondonBirds
www.birdwatch.co.uk