Reyan Sofi, Mufeeq Ahmad Malik and Mansoor Shayir spotted the Sanderling at Hokersar wetlands in the outskirts of Srinagar on Thursday.
“While my friends were busy capturing images of other birds, I promptly directed their attention to a specific species that I had identified instantly due to its size difference from a Little Stint,” Sofi said.
Shayir was initially skeptical but was convinced after comparing the sizes. This is for the first time a Sanderling has been spotted in Kashmir in past 134 years. Also, it is the first time the bird has been captured in a photograph in Kashmir, a birdwatcher claimed.
Sanderlings are small, plump sandpipers, typically measuring 18 cm to 20 cm in length and weighing between 40 grams to 100 grams. They are well-known for their behaviour of running back and forth, chasing waves on open beaches as they forage actively in the sand.
