⛅️25C
Monday 16th July 2018 ~
Brandon Marsh ~ This is my home reserve and headquarters of the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
The primary reason for today's visit ~ General Nature Walk
A morning visit to Brandon Marsh produced a site first for me in the form of a
Pectoral Sandpiper. This particular species has dropped in on only a few occasions during my time at Brandon but I'm usually on holiday or up country, thankfully not today!
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| Oh my goodness! Newly fledged Little-ringed Plover looking so vulnerable.. |
I'd only expected to spend a short time in the hides around East Marsh before heading out across the reserve in search of butterflies, bugs and Odonata! In the Wright Hide, I was pretty excited to see a couple of newly fledged
Little-ringed Plover chicks on Willow Island, looking pretty vulnerable with what looked like mum and dad chasing off an inquisitive
Lapwing. Suddenly the brief call of a small wader drew my attention to a bird which had dropped in on the edge of Willow Island. My initial thought was
Wood Sandpiper but the call wasn't right and when I got eyes on the bird I was pretty convinced it was
Pectoral Sandpiper. I sent a few 'back of the camera' photos out for second opinions and wasn't surprised to have it confirmed.
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| Pectoral Sandpiper ~ East Marsh Pool |
It was a nice find for me and the bird hung around for the few hours I was there, but unfortunately never came quite close enough for the money shot! The bird was still on site when I departed around 1pm.
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| Pectoral Sandpiper on Willow Island |
Also of note today on East Marsh Pool: (2)
Green Sandpiper, (2)
Oystercatcher, (6)
Little-ringed Plover, including the two fledgelings, (11)
Common Terns, a mixture of juvenile and adult, plus a
Sparrowhawk fly-by with prey, thankfully not the Pectoral π
