The Persistent Birder rides again!

Friday and Saturday last week were spent trying to track down the elusive Baird's sandpiper. Today, with encouragement from home, I decided to try once more, one final throw of the dice. The bird was reported from Seaton Snook. Now if you don't know the place it can seem a vast expanse of soft, tiring sand, long stretches of wild shoreline or, at worst, a dog walker's paradise. Still up the A19 Tiggy and I went once more.

I parked at the end of the Zinc Road and set off with scope and bins. Once through the dunes I spotted a few birders not that far away, 300m perhaps. The bird was seen well through the scope. We watched and chatted for a while. I decided to head back to the car and return with camera as the walk was not too bad and the sand firm.

On my way a young swallow was sitting on the sand in front of me. Note the grains of sand on his head!

Swallow I soon spotted the birders. The sandpiper was obviously still around although I couldn't make it out yet.

Who was Baird?

Spencer Fullerton Baird (1823–1887) was an American naturalist. See Wikipedia for more.

My first photo of a Baird's sandpiper. The rest follow caption free...well, almost!

Baird's Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper

Baird's Sandpiper

I did something I've never done before. I lay down on the sand completely flat, the camera pointing in front of me. Pectoral band showing nicely on this bird too. Might trying the lying down technique again some time!

Baird's Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Great bird.

Time to move on. I called at Newburn Bridge as I knew the tide would be high. The usual suspects were present including the med gull.

I photographed this turnstone.

Turnstone At Saltholme in the Phil Stead hide I settled down to have my lunch. The lapwing was still near the hide.

Lapwing A female garganey was pointed out to me - not that obvious is it?

Garganey Through the blur of the reeds but a little clearer.

Garganey This gadwall on the other hand looked really smart. We often overlook the complexities of gadwall patterning.

Gadwall I spotted a hare off left. No-one else had seen it until I pointed it out.

Hare Hare Hare A couple of egrets dropped in.

Little Egret One of the black-tailed godwits was calling.

Black-tailed Godwit Finally I couldn't help capturing this sequence with a greenshank who decided to have a good bathe. Now you see him, now you don't!

Greenshank Greenshank Greenshank Greenshank Greenshank 261 UK. My second Baird's sandpiper.

Logging off for now.