Pectoral Sandpiper

 With a strong blustery westerly wind again blasting across the marsh I decided to give the sea a miss this morning. Instead I parked up at Springfield Bridge and had a plod around the reserve. A Marsh Harrier was quartering Dengemarsh and a few Reed and Sedge Warblers were singing. 4 Curlew flew from Hayfield 3 and 3 Whimbrel were in Hayfield 2. From Dengemarsh hide I spent some time watching the comings and goings of up to 26 Common Terns around the rafts. A pair of Oystercatchers appear to have taken up residence among the Terns on the closest raft and a pair of Common Gulls were prospecting another raft. This years rafts are a great improvement on last years with a lot more cover for the youngsters from both predators and weather. However I think all the rafts would benefit from a piece a of timber approx 200mm W x 25mm thick fitted the length of the western edge of each raft. So that as when the wavelets predominantly from west hit the raft, most of the splash would hit the underside of this strip of timber and fall back into the lake father than soak vulnerable chicks or chill exposed eggs. I feel sure that this would cure the splash and save the Terns from a soaking as shown in the photograph below.

 After leaving the hide I carried on round to the viewing ramp where a Cuckoo was skulking in the Sallows, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers were singing occasionally, a Hobby dashed through and the Marsh Harrier was still hunting.

 Wandering back towards the car I joined up with SB and King Squacco who were checking the fences, reaching Hayfield 3 we all scanned and saw only a Greenshank, Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin. They turned back and I carried on towards the car, reaching the entrance gate to the Hayfield I noticed a wader fairly close, realising that it was a Pectoral Sandpiper I called out to SB and KS who were still close. The bird seemed to stay in its chosen spot all day showing to all who cared to look. I did take some pics this morning but the light was horrible looking straight into the sun. I returned this evening and the Pec was still in the same spot and although the clouds had come over the light was much better. Whilst there a text from SB telling me about a pair of Scaup on Burrowes, so after having my fill of the Pec I drove round to Burrowes to see a gorgeous drake Scaup and its mate, just a pity they were the other side of the lake by the bank of New Diggings.