The Pectoral Sandpiper twitch

Pectoral Sandpiper -Draycote water

Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper

Sunday 13th Sept. 2009

Clearly there was unfinished business from yesterday so it was back to Draycote water. As I scuttled along Farnborough bank there was little strength in the early morning sunshine but it was a lovely morning nonetheless. As I reached the elbow the clutch of birders could be seen at the start of Toft shallows. The Pec was clearly where the Curlew Sand had been the previous evening. As I approached I could see all the usual suspects were there but there was little time for greetings as the bird was as close as it was going to get, so the urge to take a few snaps for the records was strong. The Pectoral Sandpiper (163) kept company with a Dunlin and a Ringed Plover but there was no sign of yesterday's Curlew Sandpiper. As the Pec wandered further away and the sound of camera shutters faded it was time to say hello and get sociable, Steve Seal had driven down, Dave Hutton, Judge John, Alfie and the Hall boys were there. If Clint Eastwood had been there we'd have had the full cast.
3 waders flew in causing some discussion as to their make. I thought all 3 showed a white rump but others were convinced they were Ringed Plovers. They landed on the far shore and scouts went sent out in search of the true identity. Eventually word came back that they were indeed Curlew Sandpipers. There was a half hearted attempt to invoke a 2, 3 bird theory but conversation had long since moved on to more trivial subjects.