Extra time WP tick

I had little expectations to go birding in the UK again, but yesterday a Semipalmated Sandpiper that was found by James McCallum at RSPB Snettisham made me reconsider my priorities... In an atypical display of responsibility and maturity I didn't go yesterday, but this morning I was on site at dawn. First thing there were very few birders (I guess many were waiting at home for news). The tide was advancing up the Wash, and I was scanning the mud like crazy. After a while I spotted THE bird feeding among Dunlin and Ring Plovers - it was distant but I knew exactly what to look for, and as soon as I got onto it everything fell into place - stockier than Little Stint, nice and grey above with no rufous scapulars, thick bill and really obvious flank streaks. Too distant to see the palmations and for photography, so I took in all details I could with x70 magnification on my Swarovski ATX95. I saw it for maybe 20 seconds, and I think another birder got onto it as well; then the whole flock took off with the rapidly rising tide and I lost the bird in a scenario similar to this:

I spent the next couple of hours scanning through the roosting flocks at high tide. Very challenging task to say the least:

Scanning back and forth I did add some quality - a 2cy Roseate Tern (in the field I first had some self doubts but after reading a bit more if seems fine), 2 Arctic terns, 1 Black Tern, 15 Curlew Sandpipers and 2 Little Stint scattered in the Dunlin flocks, 10 Spotted Redshanks and one Turtle Dove that flew south. I was getting a bit worried that I couldn't relocate it, neither did other birders scanning. I was happy to hear that after I had left the bird was relocated in the early afternoon.

Attention: horrible phone scoped images. I really need to buy a phone with a proper camera.

Curlew Sandpiper roosting among Dunlin (adults and a juvenile)

Sanderling

There were several thousand lovely red Knot. Only this grey job was near enough to phonescope.

Snettishem is a special reserve. I must admit that I find the pans unattractive; but the spectacular murmurations of Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit over the Wash always impress. Overall it was an enjoyable morning with 81 species - check my eBird checklist here. Thanks to James (good to meet up one last time in the field, mate) and to other birders who worked pretty hard this morning.

Breydon again

I really enjoyed birding in Breydon the other day, so returned very early this morning. Again met up with the locals. Good birding, somewhat similar selection to the previous visit. Highlights were 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 early Turnstone, a (very) local scarcity - Kittiwake (probably from Lowestoft, about 10 miles away). There was some increase in Med Gulls - about 60, 20 Sandwich Terns, 15 Whimbrel, 20 Golden Plovers and that's it more or less.

A day in the Broads

Had an enjoyable day today birding in the Broads. Started off very early with James to check Breydon Water. Embarrassed to admit it was the first time I have properly birded this hotspot. We spent two hours there between 05:00 and 07:00 until we both had to return to our respective awaking families. As it always is at Breydon birds were very distant but there were lots of birds and stuff was coming and going all the time. Highlights (in UK standards) were 2 Spotted Redshanks, 1 White Stork from Thrigbey Wildlife Park, about 30 Med Gulls including one with a green ring that was too distant to read, and 15 Whimbrel. Good to meet up with the legendary Pete Allard.

In the afternoon I went with my family to Hickling Broad. It was very windy so no chance for Bittern of Reedling. We took the short boat trip which was great. I enjoyed views of Rush Hills Scrape from the hide on better side. We had 2 Little Gulls, 4 Spoonbills and about 10 Ruff there. Good conditions for shorebirds there but nothing out of the ordinary. 

Local dip

This morning I checked a few reservoirs near my house, in search of a Terek Sandpiper seen yesterday evening by Re'a Shaish. The bird was not present despite extensive searching in all nearby reservoirs. All of this searching did not produce too much - 16 Ferruginous Ducks, 30+ Garganey, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Spotted Redshank, 3 White-winged Terns, 50 feldegg Yellow Wagtails, and my first Willow Warbler of the season. All the resrvoirs are so big and the birds so distant that I couldn't bother getting my camera out.

Shorebird migration gaining speed

This morning I checked my 'local' patch - the Ashdod ponds and seashore. At the seashore no Crab Plovers this time but 15 Yellow-legged Gulls at sea were interesting. We know so little about our YLG's.
At the ponds shorebird numbers are building up, and at last I had triple-figures of migrants today, and this without a single Calidris!
As usual, Tringas were the bon-ton, with about 40 Redshank, 50 Wood, 40 Green and 5 Common Sandpipers. Among the scarcer species were one good-looking Spotted Redshank, one adult Greenshank and one adult Marsh Sandpiper. Two Little Ringed Plovers were new arrivals. No Spotted or Buff-breasted Sandpipers either this time...

Spotted Redshank

Marsh Sandpiper
Greenshank

Black-winged Stilt