Compensation (1 Viewer)

For the last couple of weeks I have been keeping a regular eye on a flood near my house where the mud levels have become seriously attractive for waders. The hope, of course, was to find my own scarce wader.

Last Wednesday this was blown out of the water when I was stood next to a friend of mine as he found not one but two Pec Sands - in north west England in Spring! It was great to be Johnny on the spot but it would have been nice to have found them.

Tonight I picked up a Wood Sand / Lesser Yellowlegs. The views were distant but when my Pec finding friend arrived he arranged permission from the landowner to enter the fields and get closer views. Ten minutes later, cracking views of a Wood Sand which has to be one of my favourite birds.

So a find on the local patch, cracking views in the end on a pleasant sunny May evening and still back at Brownies in time to collect Sabine (my eldest) as local birders began to arrive to share my modest but very enjoyabe find.

Stephen.

Well done Stephen - I really like flood pools for waders. It always seems particularly rewarding to find a good wader away from the usual places. I had a look down at some shallow pools on a pig farm by the Eden Estuary this evening in the hope of something similar but 'rien' I'm afraid.

Well done Stephen.It is good at Hodbarrow at the moment.The reserve is full.Lots of the Terns have chosen to nest in the reserve,as opposed to the ski bank.There are lots of Eiders,the Grt Crested Grebes are all on nests,at least 5 prs.Many Little Terns,also,and the dunes are full of Pipits,Sandmartins,and all manner of Passerines.

Andrew - yes, we had a Pec and a Lesser Yellowlegs on floods a couple of years back which felt more special than they would have at the RSPB pools at Leighton Moss or Marshside (for example).

Christine - have you three species of tern then? May be passing in August so would arrange to meet up again if you were available.

Stephen.

Stephen Dunstan said:

Andrew - yes, we had a Pec and a Lesser Yellowlegs on floods a couple of years back which felt more special than they would have at the RSPB pools at Leighton Moss or Marshside (for example).

Christine - have you three species of tern then? May be passing in August so would arrange to meet up again if you were available.

Stephen.

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Yes Stephen,I think there are 3 species at the moment,but will check properly later in the week,weather permitting,and yes would love to meet up again in August,but the reserve may be quiet then as all the chicks will have hatched and lots of species may have moved on.