You should never think it's all over, particularly in birding

After seeing Least, Stilt and Buff-breasted Sandpiper in just a few days it never struck us that the next week was going to be nearly the same.  

We had a walk at Lodmoor on the 20th where we hoped the two American sandpipers would stick around but unfortunately they didn't, but the day was good and we had a good selection of birds none-the-less.  Not long after starting our walk we had two Cattle Egrets flying across the back of the reserve and going into the distant reed bed, a good start.  Jackie found a couple of teal sized ducks with a distinctive supercilium I managed a brief look at one of them before they disappeared from view, to quick for most of the group, we both thought Garganey but they didn't show again for us.  Later three were found by another birder which confirmed our thoughts.  On the marsh at the bottom of Beachdown Drive we had our first Yellow Wagtail along with a number of Pieds. A little further on at one of the viewpoints I picked out, among a few Dunlin, a Curlew Sandpiper then one of the group picked out a Common Sandpiper and from the viewing shelter we added two more.  Here we also had an adult and juvenile Sandwich Tern, then eight more Yellow Wagtails flew in showing the variations of plumages of juveniles and adult.  

From the Hump side of the reserve we scanned through the small flock of Dunlin and found a second Curlew Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, a Sparrowhawk flew in and disappeared into the rush at the far side of the scrape. We were just walking on when Joe called Marsh Harrier and over the middle of the reserve was a immature male quartering the marsh.

Curlew Sandpiper - from Two Owls Archive

After finishing our walk we found out that the Baird's Sandpiper was still at Lynch Cove and a few of the group were keen to see it.  So we headed off across the town and around fifteen minutes later saw us standing beside the Fleet scanning through a flock of Dunlin and Ringed Plover.  I quickly picked up a small long winged stint-like wader a smart juvenile plumaged Baird's Sandpiper a perfect end to a mornings birding.

The next day (21st) I took a bit of a lay-in and was just finishing breakfast when Shaun rang and said "Hi Nick, Shaun Stilt Sand on Lytchett Fields" it took me a few seconds and for Shaun to repeat what he said for me to take it in, I quickly replied "ok see you in a minute".  All thought of finishing breakfast had gone Jackie and I grabbed Bins, Scope and Camera and in to the car.  A short drive and a quick walk found us standing in the drizzle trying to locate the sandpiper at the bottom of the field.  We had several views none were brilliant when it suddenly took flight and headed towards us, the four of us  there were locked on to it as if it was a guided missile.  Nearly to us it banked left circled and then our prayers answered it landed about thirty metres from us.  I threw caution to the wind and pulled out the camera into the rain and took a dozen or so confirmation shots not really expecting them to be prize winning and not caring too much.  Jackie and I watched it until we were uncomfortably wet and headed home to dry out by which time a number of fellow patch and Poole Harbour birders had arrived to see it.

Stilt Sandpiper - Lytchett Fields © Nick Hull

That morning we also had two Curlew Sandpiper, two Little Stint, three Ruff plus all the usual common waders. Next day it wasn't seen but was refound at Middlebere on 24th.

The day did get even better when we heard that the Grey Phalarope on Arne Moors had been joined by a Red-necked Phalarope.  Of course an opportunity we could not miss of seeing both species together and in Poole Harbour.  Arrangements had been made with boat yard for access so easy parking and a short walk found us with lots of fellow Poole birders watching these two small and very attractive arctic breeding species. It's uncommon to see both together and the Red-necked was quite obviously smaller.

Red-necked & Grey Phalaropes - Arne Moors © Ian Ballam