Bird behaviour and have we seen a green sandpiper?

[Tringa]

Mrs Tringa and I were in the Welches Dam hide at the Ouse Washes reserve yesterday afternoon.

We had a great view of a male kestrel sitting on a post in front of the hide and catching a mouse or vole. It ate some of the catch but then, "buried" most of it. It did not dig a hole and put the animal into it, but appeared to push it into a depression in the grass and them fly off. I know other animals, eg foxes, jays hide food, but is this common in kestrels?

We also saw a medium sized wader. Neither of us recognised it but the two things that were noticeable about it were a very clear, straight division of dark upper parts and white underparts and a white rump when it flew off.

We checked the guides when we got home and independently thought the most likely candidate was a green sandpiper.

I looked on the BTO site and it says the green sandpiper is a scarce breeder and a bird seen on passage. The Collins guide suggest they do occur in spring and summer.

Is it possible/likely it was a green sandpiper?

Thanks

Dave

[Dogghound]

Yes most likely a green sandpiper by the sounds of it. There are loads around at the moment. Although other waders have a pale back, i.e greenshank, wood sandpiper. What sort of size was it in comparison to a Redshank? Green sands are quite small.

Kestrels often cache prey on tussocks, they usually do it close to distinctive objects which they recognize within their territory. Its often common when food is plentiful, such as now when small mammal populations will be high.

[tigertom]

From your discripstion a green sandpiper would be a good possibilty
MIKE

[Tringa]

Thanks for the quick replies, Mike and DH.

The kestrel hid the food within a few feet of the post it had sat on for about 10 mins, which fits in with your info DH.

I have not seen a wood sandpiper but I've seen lots of redshank and a fair few greenshank.

When we saw it I would have said it was smaller than either, though I see from the bird guide that green sandpipers are not that much smaller than redshanks. However, I think the redshank is one of the easiest waders to identify.

Thanks, both for your views.

Dave

[Norfolk Visitor]

Originally Posted by Tringa

We also saw a medium sized wader. Neither of us recognised it but the two things that were noticeable about it were a very clear, straight division of dark upper parts and white underparts and a white rump when it flew off.

Dave

The description fits green sandpiper very nicely - dark with a white rump

Green and wood sandpipers are similar
Wood sandpipers are paler and are clearly speckled / mottled on upper parts but also has a white rump. Also wood sandpiper has a stripe across the head and above the eye. Mottling on a green sandpiper may not be easy to see confirming a dark appearance.