⛅️23C Monday 13th August 2018 ~ I'd originally planned to visit Brandon Marsh today but after breakfast decided I'd try my hand a little further afield, heading off to RSPB Middleton Lakes.
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| Dunlin ~ West Scrape ~ Canon SX50 |
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| Ringed Plover ~ West Scrape ~ Canon SX50 |
I was sitting at the West Scrape screen just after 10am where a good selection of waders were on offer: (2)
Common Sandpiper, (2)
Dunlin, (5)
Black-tailed Godwit, (4)
Avocet, (2)
Ringed Plover and
Little-ringed Plover.
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| Three of four Avocets today ~ Canon SX50 |
While here I couldn't believe my luck when the phone pinged:
Spotted Crake, East Scrape, RSPB Middleton Lakes! I was off in flash arriving a few minutes later and immediately bumping into Dave Hutton who'd dropped onto the bird a short time earlier.
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| Wood Sandpiper ~ East Scrape ~ Canon SX50 |
I spent a while at the screen chatting and scanning without success, although a couple of
Wood Sandpipers and a
Hobby were an excellent distraction. Unlike me (Mr Impatience) I did spend a few hours here at various vantage points, my only reward a fleeting glance of something darting in and out of reeds, which the RSPB guys told me was the Crake. For me, it could have been anything so sadly no year-tick!
The remainder of the time was spent around the western and northern end of the reserve where I did pick out a distant
Whinchat perched up, a year-tick for my efforts ✅
