Both sandpipers showing very well at 2150 this evening. Thanks to nev for persuading my father it was worth delaying a trip to the pub for!

Both Wood Sandpipers still present at 9:05 tonight.

Info thanks to Nev Wright

Both Wood Sandpipers present 16.00 to 17.00 although only one was showing at first. When the second one appeared they were both set upon by a fractious Moorhen and appeared to fly over to the next pool. They did return in time for Ian Woosey and Mike Duckham to get good views - nice to see you both

Ian W - if pies are critical there is a Waitrose within 500yds march !!!!

Iain Johnson wrote:

---

Blimey ian, you feeling ok mate? It's not in Wigan you know and there isn't a decent pie shop for twenty miles

Make sure you take your passport and some medication with you in case you feel dizzy!

---

Aye pal. Maybe it is time to cut the Borough shackles, and get back to County birding ?

Blimey ian, you feeling ok mate? It's not in Wigan you know and there isn't a decent pie shop for twenty miles

Make sure you take your passport and some medication with you in case you feel dizzy!

Woodcote Road off Sinderland Lane is the nearest road Ian. Best to park outside Woodcote Stables and walk north beyond the lake on the right. The middle pool is just east, behind the first lake.
Henry.

Both Wood Sandpipers still present at 8:45.

Info thanks to Iain Johnson

Wood Sandpiper currently present on middle pool near round metal object - 6.00pm
Also reeling Grasshopper Warbler
Lots of common warblers singing

Drake Shoveler present today plus leucistic Black-headed Gull (paired to a 'normal' bird) and Yellow Wagtail.

All ours in the county are (or have been as far as we know up to this point) islandica. Limosa would be a county mega (first no less) but their identification is a challenge at the very least

It's an interesting subject for sure.

Also two Yellow Wagtails around the second pool this morning.

Info thanks to Phil Kelly.

With regards the 'non-breeding/partial breeding plumaged' Black-tailed Godwits, are these not more likely to be first summer individuals? Just asking

Monday 30th May

2 Black-tailed Godwit
1 male Yellow Wagtail
1 Garden Warbler in song

No sign of the Wood Sandpiper this afternoon 13.20-14.20

1 Yellow Wagtail called in flight

In understand that the first pool along the road from the riding school used to be a horse grazing paddock until the clay became "puddled" by constant use and now holds water. You have to look through the fence for this one. There are two more pools viewable from up the hill by turning right at the end of the fencing. I guess it is the first one of these pools that is being called the "second" pool and this was where the bird was?





-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 26th of May 2011 05:13:42 PM

Wood Sandpiper still present at 18.30 (info from Tony O'Mahoney)

At 12.30 I'd walked round to the back of the second pool lifted my binoculars and said to to myself **** me I've got a Wood Sand , the following seconds were 'do I stay and take notes ?' (it was 40 -50 metres away) or leg it back to the car and grab my scope and camera, knowing full wel that this is a GM rarity requiring a description. I took the second option. Thankfully I managed to relocate it after a few minutes and rang Ian at 12.50. I watched it until 15.30, hopefully got some record shots and took a description just in case. Brian Hilton arrived at 13.50 and Henry Cook at 15.00. The bird can disappear at times behind vegetation and viewing through the fence is a bind. Hope it sticks.

Just checked and it isn't a County rarity after all . Decent enough bird though

-- Edited by Pete Hines on Wednesday 25th of May 2011 08:03:26 PM

Wood Sandpiper at 12:50 today, at the back of the second pool.

Info thanks to Pete Hines

Evening visit 6.45pm-8.15pm where I bumped into John Barber. Despite an extensive search by the pair of us, no sign of the Blue-headed Wagtail.

In the field North of the horse paddocks were:

1 Grey Wagtail
4 Yellow Wagtails
3 Pied Wagtails

A Dunlin was a nice suprise for the site, on the flooded field to the side of the main pond.

I did sweat at the thought of it being Black-headed

Mike Duckham wrote:

---

One BHW present with a Yellow, got text from Henerz a coupla hours ago, local birders could see it before dark if so inclined. Sure Henerz will be on later with more detailed directions.
Cheers.

---

Mike, with reference to the current 'abbreviated and misspelled bird names' thread on this forum, an awful lot of visitors simply won't know what a BHW is I'm afraid

Tuesday, May 10 am.

Grey Heron 1
Cormorant 1 over
Shelduck 1m 1f
Mallard 15+
Gadwall 6
Mute Swan 1 ad
Little Grebe 1
Tufted Duck 2m 1f
Canada Geese 9 ad and 5 young
Coot 12+ including young
Moorhen 4
Sand Martin 20+
Swift 2
Lapwing 4
BH Gull 5
Reed Bunting 1 singing
Sedge Warbler 3 singing
Grey Wagtail 1f
White Wagtail? 1 with light grey crown, nape, mantle and rump, strong black bib but no black throat and no hint of yellow/brown of a juvenile Pied Wagtail. Could it be an adult female still in winter plumage?

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 28th of May 2011 08:05:30 PM

Mid Sunday

Oystercatcher 2
Lapwing 3
Hs. Martin 2
Sand Martin 20+
Yellow Wagtail 2
Shoveler 1m
Reed Bunting 1 singing.
Little Grebe 1
BH Gull 10+
Gadwall 12+
Mallard 10+
Canada Geese 6
Coot 2ads plus 3 young and other adults.
Moorhens.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 1st of May 2011 06:44:54 PM

In case you missed it I saw a Sacred Ibis again in the Woodford area today (just over the border in Cheshire) - see Woodford thread.

Cheers, John