Spotted Sandpiper at Brockholes Wetlands, Lancashire

May 30, 2011:
First reported this morning, the bird attracted a large number of watchers to the newly opened Reserve. A visitor from North America, it is only the fifth record for Lancashire, the previous one was at Stocks Reservoir just over a year ago. Prior to that it was 1987.



The bird spent today on No.1 pool, at first moving to several different places before finally settling for the stony shoreline near the Sand Martin bank where there was also a Turnstone, a Redshank and a Common Sandpiper. It was in full adult summer plumage having a heavily spotted breast and underparts, a prominent eye-stripe, a pinkish bill with a black tip and yellowish legs. Hopefully it will stay for a while, but maybe not.

Unfortunately it never came sufficiently close for good photographs and the heavy morning rain didn't help either.




A few of the many watchers who came to see the bird during the day.

Sedge Warbler near Silverdale, Lancashire

April 29, 2011:
I spent two hours here patiently waiting to photograph an extremely elusive Grasshopper Warbler but in the end was unsuccessful. Directly behind me and quite close by, this Sedge Warbler showed no such inhibitions and sang exuberantly for much of the time.