1515 hrs on a hot sticky afternoon with only 10% cloud cover but again a nice NE>4 cooling things down a bit.
A quick check of the boatyard found 2 Dunlin and 3 Common Sandpipers with another 2 Dunlin on the south shore. A walk along the west bank found several more Common Sandpipers, 3 Redshank and a further 9 Dunlin but the sky and water was void of birds.
I got near to the end of the west bank and was ready to turn back but scanning on to the NW corner I could see more small waders. A lucky change of mind found me walking on to the end to see if there were more Dunlin present and as I was watching 2 Dunlin over the water a bright white bird flew past, target bird Sanderling.
Luckily it dropped in to the banking some distance away by which time I had a few record shots under my belt so with pressure off I walked back on in the direction it had landed. I relocated it about 50 yards further on with Common Sands and Dunlin but it was very fidgety moving along the banking.
With Big Bertha set up on sticks I managed several distant photos then, as it was working its way along towards the SW corner I took a gamble and dropped down the opposite side of the banking and dashed on towards the corner with the risk of not seeing it again but from the shelter of the bridge I could see it in the distance heading towards me.
After a steady wait it came within a distance that Bertha could handle easily so I fired away merrily as it cut across the corner under the cover of the south shore banking where I quietly backed off and left it in peace.
Just proof again that if you persevere with a local patch you,ll get rewarded from time to time . Right, whats next ?
BS