After a fairly quiet, but sunny morning at Marshside, I was made up to find this Pectoral Sandpiper feeding in the Blackwit roost in front of Nels at about 12.45pm.
The bird wandered off into the grass quite a lot, but spent enough time at the edge of the vegetation at the back of the lagoon to be sure of the id.
Dark cap, nice clean breast coming to an arrowhead tip, pale, but not white, lines on the mantle - although as it was in bright sunlight it was hard to be sure of the precise colour.
Hard to be sure of leg colour, looked pale.
Clearly bigger than nearby Dunlins.
A juv/female I think, but again, hard to absolutely sure in the bright light.
I wonder if it was the same bird Ron Jackson had calling up at Banks a few days back?
Left Dave Gaunt watching the roost as I had to head off.
Got these poor digiscoped record shots, but if it sticks around, you never know, it may come closer.
Good numbers of Blackwits about again today, in front of Nels and on Marshside Two, with a few Dunlins, Lapwing and Redshank in with them in front of Nels.
The Ibis was still by Polly's, and slowly losing it's immature grey head.
Young Little Grebe with an adult north of Sandgrounders, and the Tuftie still had her eight young at the Junction Pool, which is quickly disappearing under the algal bloom.
One or two young Pied Wags feeding around Sandgrounders, where the Wren is still feeding young, and loads a Swallows are bombing about.
Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler singing, and a young Willow Warbler in the Forest of Bale.
On the mudflats, 65 Curlew, about 200 Dunlin and 30+ Grey Plovers were in the shimmer.
Waders on the pools on the outer marsh again, but too far off to work well - worth keeping an eye on tho'.
Two Little Egrets on the edge of the saltmarsh, and two Common Sands - one at Sandgrounders and one at Nels.
A good day on the marsh.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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John,
Our Pec on Friday was flushed without warning from a half hidden gutter. I didn't have my usual bins so didn't get the best of what was only a flight view. The bird called though, three times, rapidly, something of a Dunlin in it but more "reedy/throaty/trilled".
It seemed (flying) larger than Dunlins, also present albeit Pec was alone. Bigger wings and a sort of jerky flitting almost plover/Ruff flight action.
Bird headed into a pack of 100 or so Dunlins which promptly split with our bird in the mob who hightailed it towards the out marsh.
Couldn't see it today, only a few Dunlins on the flashes (plus the Little Gull seemingly moulting into adult plumage) but the area , particularly where the cows have been congregating, is like something out of Third Ypres (I imagine, not that old!) and smelly as well.
Let's hope a foretaste of a good autumn,
Ron
Latest from Haskayne area, July 12th-19th:
Great Crested Grebe; 152 Lapwing; 68 Mallard; 5 Reed Warbler; 37 Pied Wagtail; 18-25 Mistle Thrushes; Yellowhammer; 4 Tree Sparrow; 2 Common Sandpiper; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Sand Martins; Common Tern; 4 Oystercatcher; Blackcap; Sedge Warbler; Jay and Cormorant.
Nearby, Little Owl has raised two young.
Hi John,
Great find, well done. We need one (or the Seaforth White rump) a bit further along the coast in North Wales.
I can't believe how quiet it has been here in North Wales while the North west is doing so well.
Plenty of Med Gulls about on the River Clwyd and Llanfairfechan but apart from that zilch!
All the best