Wonderful Waders

At last I have managed to get back in to the swing of things and spend time in Birdland. Over the last couple of weeks its been relatively quiet on the work front so I have grabbed the camera bag and visited Oare and  Sandwich (backsands) twice.  My target birds being waders as this time of year is really good to catch up with one or two as they head in their various directions  for the winter period.  My first visit to backsands started with me parking the car by the polly tunnels last Thursday 16th just before 7am. The air was full of expectancy and I was excited which put a spring in my step as I started the the route march to the scrape .The farmer was busy harvesting the crops, I was amazed at the size of the machinary that was being used towering me as I walked by.  Reaching the scrape I entered the tiny photographers hide, here I was to spend the next five hours in which the tide  peaked  and pushed the birds from the river banks etc,  inland to the scrape and hopefully  they would come in range of the camera. Slowly the first birds dropped in. Several Greenshank and Redshank, followed by Green Sandpipers, Common Sandpipers and a solitary Wood Sandpiper. There was one Black Tailed Godwit still in summer plumage and several coots and moorhens. Some of the Sandpipers came very close, I was pleased I was the only one in the hide as I am sure if there was more than one shutter firing off the birds would have spooked. Fantastic seeing the birds so close, there was a single Heron and Little Egret as well.  The time flew by and I was soon on my way home, pleased with my day. Friday the 17th I had arranged to meet Steve Ashton at Oare marshes in the afternoon. We meet in the car park at 2pm. It was a lovely summers afternoon with blue skies and a gentle breeze.We made our way along to the East flood, where  for the next four hours we rattled off the cameras, Mark Chiddwick joined in the fun for a while as he managed to finish work early,but time was of short supply for him and he soon had to go. We spent a a fair while being amused by a Wood Sandpiper and juvenile Ruff. There was lots on show, Black tailed Godwits, Curlew Sandpiper, Golden Plover Snipe to name but a few, however the best for me was was a Little Stint and a last knockings Temminicks Stint, birds that I had only ever seen from a distance. We were both parched by the end of the session so a welcome drink from the old artesian well went down a treat before we said our goodbyes.I visited briefly again after work on Monday but time was very limited seeing several Ringed Plover to add to the list and Yellow Wagtail.  Today still no work, (one of the joys of working in London around the Olympic area,) so another trip to backsands, this time it was a waste of time as you could count the birds on one hand, only a young Lapwing and Moorhen was to come in range of the camera  .So there we are a good few birds seen with a few photos to boot.

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