Sunday 8th May

On Friday evening as I was lounging in my sick bed with some non-specific malaise I got a text from Steve Goddard saying that he had what he thought was either a Green or a Wood Sandpiper by Burgess Field Gate. At first I didn't really feel up to going out to check but in the end curiosity got the better of me. The first bird that I actually saw when I started scanning was a lovely GREY PLOVER working its way along the shore but once Steve had directed me to the right spot I soon found what was indeed a WOOD SANDPIPER - the first one we've had on the Meadow for a few years now. Also present was a GREENSHANK though it was hobbling quite badly in stark contrast to the agile and quick-moving bird from earlier in the week - sadly it probably won't be able to survive unless it finds a really good feeding spot and stays there rather than trying to breed. Also present were 3 RINGED PLOVER, 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, 5 OYSTERCATCHER, 5 COMMON SANDPIPER and 2 SHELDUCK.


A very brief bit of video of the Wood Sandpiper. In my illness-befuddled state I kept cocking things up like not panning with the bird or shooting a Common Sandpiper instead!

The Grey Plover and Wood Sandpiper were both present first thing on Saturday morning though soon departed, probably due to the weekend disturbance on the Meadow - it gets very busy this time of year when the weather is good. I did check it out on Saturday evening and there were just 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 YELLOW WAGTAIL and a smattering of the usual other stuff.

On Sunday evening after a scorchingly hot day Mary MacDougall reported that there was a bit of a feeding frenzy going on with the trapped fish fry and that 3 LITTLE EGRETS, the two COMMON TERNS and loads of Black-headed Gulls were all joining in the bonanza. A good top-up of rain wouldn't go amiss about now.

A Wood Sandpiper grab from the video

1 comment:

  1. Feeling a little guilty at disturbing you, Adam (especially as the Wood Sand was still there next day!), but it *was* a nice bird! I'd have fancied my chances of clinching the ID myself had my 'scope been available, but as it's being repaired, my bins weren't quite allowing me to seal the deal...

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