![white rumped sandpiper white rumped sandpiper](https://www.birdguides-cdn.com/cdn/gallery/birds/AF6I2184whiterumpedsandpiperlr.jpg)
fuscicollis and Pearl-breasted Swallow Hirundo dimidiate. Three new birds for Mozambique were discovered Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata (first for Africa), White-rumped Sandpiper C. A total of 295 species was recorded including eight Globally Threatened birds (three Endangered, five Near-threatened) and Internationally Important numbers of White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo and Whiskered Terns Chlidonias hybrida were found. Improved access to the site in Oct 2016 enabled over 200 field ornithological visits Oct 2016-Oct 2020 and the sightings are analysed and reported herein. The peninsula of Praia de Macaneta is also included in the study site but with few data.
![white rumped sandpiper white rumped sandpiper](https://www.birdguides-cdn.com/cdn/articles/IMG_20180304_145636_276.jpg)
complex hydrology offering diverse salinity and temporal conditions. The site comprises a 10 km stretch of ocean beach, coastal dunes with patchy thicket forest, and low lying wet grasslands inland to the Incomati River. The 56 km2 area of study was selected based on access from tracks and follows no formal boundaries. The Macaneta area lies in the Incomati River estuary in northern Maputo Bay, Maputo Province, southern Mozambique. We suggest that some comparatively regular vagrants reaching Britain are, in fact, performing annual migrations to presently undiscovered wintering grounds in western Europe or West Africa. Although the vast majority of individuals follow a traditional route to winter quarters, vagrancy during autumn migration occurs in all directions, and we contend that it is the pattern of observer coverage which determines the number of vagrants discovered.The occurrence patterns of some vagrants reaching Britain can be explained using the idea of long-range dispersal. In this paper, we evaluate this theory and, by analysing vagrancy patterns, demonstrate that autumn vagrancy is not limited to the 'shadow' of a 180° route-reversal. Reverse migration is a popular concept, often used to explain the occurrence of autumn vagrants.The term 'reverse migration shadow' has been used to identify regions in which autumn vagrancy of a given species may occur, and to predict potential future vagrants to Britain.
![white rumped sandpiper white rumped sandpiper](https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/white-rumped-sandpiper-calidris-leonardo-meron.jpg)
The bird returned for two further seasons but it was not possible to gather further data.
![white rumped sandpiper white rumped sandpiper](https://www.birdguides.com/cdn/gallery/birds/White-rumpedSandpiper.jpg)
The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in particular drew much birder interest with 254 international visitor days over the 12 weeks of its first visit Feb-Apr 2018, contributing over US$12,000 into the local economy. An annotated checklist of selected species is presented. The wetlands have complex hydrology offering diverse salinity and temporal conditions.