Wood Sandpiper, Draycote Water

Wood Sandpiper, Draycote water, Warks.
Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Dunlin, juvenile

Dunlin, Adult

Red breasted Merganser

Red breasted Merganser

Red breasted Merganser

Red breasted Merganser

Thursday 4th August 2011

It was always going to be a Wood Sandpiper day and with the forecast for rain during most of the day it seemed sensible to head for somewhere with a hide. So Brandon Marsh it was then, plenty of rain but no sign of the Wood Sandpiper seen earlier in the day. 3 Green Sandpiper and 1 Common Sandpiper but no sign of the Wood Sand. As the rain eased I moved on to Draycote Water in the hope the Red breasted Merganser might still be there. As I began to walk towards Toft bay I detected a moment in the distance at Farborough spit. It looked as if it could be a birder and he was definitely trying to attract my attention, either that or the unfortunate demented sole was being attacked by a swarm of killer bees. Even in the bins I couldn't make out who it was (although I should have guessed), but he certainly had my attention. Now years of not very selective breeding have given birders the innate ability to respond to certain stimuli, like, 'I think I'm on the bird' will illicit the immediate response 'where the bloody 'ell are you looking' etc. Similarly a sudden coordinated mass moment of birders will trigger off others to follow. In this case the wild beckonings from Farborough spit caused me to run, well shuffle, at a fair pace though, along Farborough bank. Using the accepted order of magnitude the gesticulations had to rate a Spoon-billed Sandpiper at least. As I approached I could make out Richard Mays and cap. The beckoning signals had changed to slow down you'll have a heart attack you old goat signals. Bob Hazel was completely unconcerned about the goings on as he continued to photograph a Wood Sandpiper. Having missed what could have been the same bird at Brandon it was great to see this one at relatively close range. There was also a couple of Dunlin and a Ringed Plover in the same area. In my hast I'd ignored the Red breasted Merganser back along the bank but going back it was still giving good views. Just before the heavy clouds rolled over again we had 2 Hobby high overhead to conclude an eventful morning at Draycote Water.