The Marquenterre Park received an unexpected visit at the beginning of the season. Indeed, during a photography workshop, a spotted sandpiper was spotted on the Bay of Somme. Discover this bird from the American continent.
A spotted sandpiper spotted in the north of France
At the beginning of autumn, a rare and unusual bird visited the Marquenterre park. A spotted sandpiper, originally from America, has taken up residence in the ornithological park for a few days in the Baie de Somme, in Hauts-de-France.
Philippe Caruette, the park’s educational manager, told local media Courrier Picard:He is quietly walking along the banks of a small islet of mud. He was discovered during a photo shoot”.
How did he arrive in France?
This bird is said to have arrived in France from the American continent. According to Philippe Caruette, the spotted sandpiper “nests in the American and Canadian Arctic. It is a large nocturnal migrant that will winter as far as Chile and Tierra del Fuego. During strong winds or unpredictable hurricanes, it can cross the Atlantic and end up in Europe”.
Indeed, pushed by the winds, it often finds itself in directions it had not premeditated. The website of the Somme nature reserve explains that the spotted sandpiper with fine wings is capable of traveling kilometers while still taking a few breaks.
What is the spotted sandpiper?
Calidris melanotosscientifically known as the spotted sandpiper or the ash-breasted sandpiper, this wading bird (a species of bird that has long legs and lives in aquatic environments), is slightly larger than its cousin the dunlin (Calidris alpina), which has a short, arched beak.
Although it measures on average only 22 cm in length and weighs almost 80 g, it is considered a large migratory bird.
It is distinguished from other species by its striped chest and its uniform belly. It is also recognizable by its thin, straight, yellow-green beak and its legs, which are also the same color according to the National Inventory of Natural Heritage (INPN). It lives mainly in the American and Siberian plains. But at the beginning of autumn it is possible to see them in greater numbers towards Western Europe, as the park manager indicated above.
Although it is considered the most common American wader in Europe, its last sighting at Marquenterre Park dates back to 2022. Local media outlet Courrier Picard recalls that it is “observed in France between ten and fifty times per year”.
That said, its rarity does not make it an endangered species; in fact, since a 2016 assessment, for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it has been classified as “least concern”.
Waders, migratory birds
Most wading birds migrate to regions with milder temperatures in winter. It is therefore common to see bird populations living in northern Europe heading towards the Mediterranean and North Africa as the first cold spells approach.
In the specific case of spotted sandpipers, they travel an average of 29,000 km during their migration according to the specialist website Le Mag des Animaux.
They do not all migrate at the same time. Indeed, the purpose of their movement is to find food. Thus, to have enough resources, the males migrate south before the eggs hatch, thus avoiding being in competition with the females and the chicks who therefore leave last, according to the specialized site Oiseaux.
Other major migrants include the Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) which travels no less than 70,000 km there and back, the bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) which according to scientists travelled 12,000 km without interruption for 11 days in 2020, and the northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) which also explores up to 29,000 km.
Sources : The Voice of the North, Marquenterre Nature, Ornithomedia, Inpn, Oiseaux.net
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
