A Wader Fest to Remember!

On Sunday, Dad and I visited Minsmere to catch up on some of the brilliant waders present on the scrape. We arrived at about 11:00, and headed to North Hide. We got 3 Greenshank, 3 Green Sandpiper and 2 Common Sandpiper from the hide on North Scrape. Nearly every wader we saw was really distant so that's the excuse of the poor picture quality.

I then thought I would scan East Scrape with my scope, and I picked out the COLLARED PRATINCOLE which was huddled against some tall weeds, so it wasn't visible from East Hide currently. We got some terrible record shots, but, its proof for when I get older and say "I never saw that!"

We then moved round to East Hide. On the way we got several Six-spotted Burnet moths and a range on Butterflies including Gatekeeper and Common Blue...

By the time East Hide, the COLLARED PRATINCOLE had slightly changed position, so it was now in view. Still very distant though!

The PRATINCOLE wasn't moving at all. However, there were several other  waders present on the scrape. A birder from in the hide said "I've never seen so many people ignore a Collared Pratincole!" Don't know your name mate, but loving the tone!

Other waders we got on the scrape were 2 Wood Sandpipers, Curlew Sandpiper, Little-ringed Plover, 12 Spotted Redshanks, 4 Greenshanks, 1 flyover Whimbrel, Snipe and loads of Dunlin, Lapwing, Redshanks and Ruff.

Curlew Sand and Dunlin

Green Sand

Little Ringed Plover

Snipe

Spotted Redshank

2 Spotted Redshanks, Lapwings and a Common Sand (top right of the pic)

Here is a terrible picture of one of the Wood Sands, taken on my phone from the back of my camera. It is truely shocking I grant you ;-)

There were about 53 Little Gulls present too...

And finally, plenty of Common Terns...

Well I'm now off for nearly 7 weeks now as its the...............................SUMMER HOLIDAYS!!! YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEE! 

I'm on the Isle of Islay for a week, and then at a wedding, and then staying in Norfolk for a birding weekend! Bring on the MEGA'S!!!!

HAPPY BIRDING FOLKS!