Waderific at pits

 Garganey

 Dunlin

 Turnstone

 Turnstone

 Little Ringed Plover

 Arty Goldfinch

 Hatrick of waders

 Who's watching who

 Little Stint

Little Stint & Ringed Plover

It was good to get back home after a couple of great days away in Rutland. The forecast rain hadn’t arrived sadly so less chance of a goodie landing at the gravel pits. Paul joined me and Jon giving us three pairs of eyes to scan every where. We started at Pophills where the Garganey were still in residence. We thought this may be a separate bird to the first one reported.

It seems that two broods of Little Ringed Plover have been successful with fours chicks fledging.

Four Swifts heading south past us over head at around 10am just after a Ringed Plover circiled the old workings. Other movement included good numbers of House Martin and four Yellow Wagtails. Other sightings included 14 Teal, 4 Green Sandpiper, 8 Common Sandpiper, 2 Buzzards, Kestrel and a Kingfisher.

After a quick lunch I returned to the pits following a note from Jon that a juvenile Turnstone was on the main pit. The rain was hammering down at this time and I was relieved to locate the bird on Oystercatcher island before it flew closer. It was flying with another bird and once settled it was great see it was our second Little Stint of the year. Just as Paul and I were patting ourselves on the back our Black-tailed Godwits flew across the pit, oh my days, another patch tick for us both. We hung around for another hour getting some great views of the waders.