1500hrs and one hour of daylight left for birding after an afternoon of shopping, what to do?
No time to go far so the idea was call and check the Lapwing field and then up to Soil Hill in hope of Snow Bunting.
Late morning the field was quiet but I knew that by now the birds would be returning to roost ,hopefully with Snipe and Golden Plover.
On arrival the Lapwing flock was in the next field all together giving a count of 277 plus C200 Starlings and a few small gulls but no sign of Goldies or Snipe.
After a while and a lot of scanning 2 Snipe flew over and landed 2 fields away so it was time to get the feet wet and trudge down the overgrown and very boggy footpath but well worth it as at the bottom of the path several Snipe were in the puddles with the sun full on them, perfect, apart from knelt behind the wall taking photos deep in water and mud.
All the while Snipe were calling and flying overhead to and from the juncus field and a slop through there produced at least another 20 birds mainly flushed but only moving a short distance away. I,d now clocked 38 Snipe , all Commons.
Back at the lay by the Snipe could be picked out dotted around the fields but minutes before AC arrived a Heron flew in and put up the whole shabang scattering the flock over several fields.
By now the light was near gone leaving a lovely sunset over Ringby so I never did make Soil Hill although when I grape vined DJS with the Snipe he was on Soil Hill where he reported it quiet.
Sorry I missed you Dave but at least I didnt miss any birds.
What a pleasant hobby this is, to see the sun rise this morning and set again this evening.
BS