''sPECtacular'' birding or ''For better or for WRS!''

Title may make sense in the end!

September 3rd

Sheila wanted a walk at the seaside and suggested Hartlepool. She also suggested calling at Saltholme to see if the pecsands at Phil Stead's were any closer. They weren't really but with different settings and a gentler light I produced these... Pectoral Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper

The birds were never as confiding as this bird a couple of years ago at Swillington Ings! Pectoral Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Greenshank at Saltholme Greenshank Greenshank Greenshank Greenshank

There was a seafront festival at the Headland and roads were closed. We stayed away and walked from Newburn Bridge. Here's a few shots from there. Redshanks Redshanks Ringed Plover

Oystercatcher Redshanks

Tuesday 5th September

Afternoon visit to Blacktoft Sands. The best waders had left during a heavy shower but some nice sightings of reed and sedge warblers, a few bearded tits at Marshland along with redshanks, lapwings and snipe. Single greensand at Townend where I ended my visit. Still trying for the marsh harrier photo I can clearly see in my mind! Here are today's efforts. Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier

Thursday 7th September

I went first to Alkborough. A lot of people around and the bearded tits were nowhere to be seen. Apparently over noisy birders had scared the spoonbills off - no great loss! I made do with the bigger picture - quite a spectacle really. A pale headed ruff was quite close. Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff and Blackwits Ruff Ruff

Something spooked the avocets. Just in case you're thinking there's a marsh harrier coming over the reedbed, right of centre image, it's a lapwing! Avocets Avocets Avocets I decided to head further east, back to Tetney Marshes RSPB or the yacht club pools at Humberston Fitties to be precise. I had heard that the white-rumped sandpiper was often much closer to the car park than it was when I went the first time a few days earlier. It wasn't really close but it was just about photographable...

Can you spot it? It's pretty distant [left of centre in first picture] White-rumped Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper

White-rumped Sandpiper It flew a fair bit closer. White-rumped Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper

To end the day, I called at Blacktoft. Roe deer. Man in hide said they were red deer. I dared to contradict him so he left. I suppose sometimes people see what they want to see. Roe Deer Roe Deer Roe Deer