Waders

If I was a migrant wader, I would like the look of the Budge fields at the moment, the vegetation is a bit high, but they'll do.

They were certainly popular with lapwings this morning, there was at least 300 of them. There was also about eight dunlin, one common sandpiper, two ringed plover, one little ringed plover and at least 30 snipe.

On the big pool, there were snipe, three common sandpipers and three whimbrel in front of the hide. Also on the big pool, a pair of great-crested grebes have set up nest, it seems very late, maybe they have failed elsewhere. There were also four pochard, my first of the year.

whimbrel

common sandpipers

snipe

 I caught up with Paul Stewart on the big dune, we saw three little egrets on the Budge fields and very little offshore, an Arctic skua being all of note. Whilst we were chatting, I got a call to say that Bob Dack was watching a curlew sandpiper from the Budge screen. We headed down there and were soon watching a spanking curlew sandpiper, moulting out of summer plumage, still showing plenty of red on the underside.

weird fog this weekend at Druridge

I had a quick look offshore this evening but the light wasn't good as a light fog came and went. The sunset was nice though.

nice sunset over the Cheviot Hills

140 pochard

141 curlew sandpiper

PWC score 185