Over the year Findhorn Bay has a wide variety of waders with many over-wintering. The main species have been covered on individual pages. However, there are others that only appear in small numbers and in some cases they are rare migrants.
Avocet
The Avocet is an unusual bird to see this far north in Scotland but 3 were sighted on the Bay in April 2016. As the range of this bird expands ever northwards, perhaps this will become a more regular occurrence in the future.
Grey Plover
Grey Plover is a reasonably regular visitor to the Bay and has been seen at various times of the year. The most numerous sightings recently were in October 2015 when up to 17 were seen. Almost all the records were made on the eastern half of the Bay between the bird hide and Kinloss.
Lapwing
Lapwing are a fairly common bird in the area but don’t get seen on the Bay in any great number. Over the summer months a few will nest on farmland to the south of the Bay and will occasionally come out onto the sands at the southern edge. In late autumn it is common to see flocks of up to 200 gathering, particularly on SW corner of the Bay.
Curlew Sandpiper
The Curlew Sandpiper is a scarce migrant which is occasionally seen mixed in with flocks of Dunlin and Ringed Plover. Most sightings are made in spring and in autumn as the main migrations occur.
Broad-billed Sandpiper
Sightings of Broad-billed Sandpipers are rare with the last one in May 2015.
Little Stint
Although considered a scarce migrant to Moray a few do get seen most years on Findhorn Bay with August/September being the best months although they do occasionally show up during the spring migration. Nearly always they will be seen in company with the mixed Dunlin and Ringed Plover flock.
Green Sandpiper
Another scarce visitor, but the Green Sandpiper does get seen quite regularly each year mainly in late autumn and winter. The best place to look for them is on the south side of the Bay particularly near any pools of water.
Spotted Redshank
Again, the Spotted Redshank is a very scarce migrant to Findhorn Bay. The last sighting was recorded in May 2015 in the Mosset Burn. The bird was on migration and was already almost in breeding plumage.
Snipe
The Snipe is a relatively common breeder inland and comes down the coast in late summer. Regular sightings are made on the salt-marsh around the southern edge of the Bay, but seeing them in the grass is difficult as they will lay still until very close range. They can also be seen feeding sometimes by the edge of the Mosset and even occasionally out on the Bay.
Jack Snipe
The smaller Jack Snipe is not nearly as common as the Snipe, but it does get seen occasionally, mainly in winer. Like the Snipe its main habitat is the salt-marsh on the edge of the Bay.
White-rumped Sandpiper
Being a north American species the White-rumped Sandpiper is a rare visitor. The sighting of one in Findhorn Bay in June 2013 was only the second recording for Moray and Nairn. It was spotted feeding in the centre of the Bay with a mixed flock Dunlin and Ringed Plover.
Ruff
The Ruff is a scarce late summer/autumn migrant and the most recent sighting of two birds was in August 2016.
Pectoral Sandpiper
Another north American species which is also a rare visitor. The last sighting was a single bird on the pools near Netherton at the southern end of the Bay in June 2013.
Spotted Sandpiper
The Spotted Sandpiper is also a rare visitor. The most recent sighting was a bird in the Mosset Burn in May 2016 but it did not stay around for more than 24 hours unfortunately.