As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Thursday, 11 August 2016

Twitchers flock to Devon to spot rare bird


Hundreds of birdwatchers from all over the UK are flocking to a Devon beauty spot to try and catch a glimpse of a rare bird.

The least sandpiper is the world's smallest shorebird. Two of them have been spotted at Seaton Wetlands in East Devon since Wednesday. It is understood only 12 have ever been seen in the UK.

One of a number of bird watchers hoping to catch the rare sight at Seaton Marshes Credit: ITV News

Its proper name is calidris minutilla - some say it comes from the Ancient Greek - kalidris - which was used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds.

Minutilla comes from Mediaeval Latin and means for "very small".

Generally the name means 'tiny speckled water bird'

Watch the least sandpiper at Seaton Wetlands:


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