RSPB Frampton Marsh pt2

While I was sat in the reedbed hide at Frampton I was watching a few sandpipers pipe their way around the sandy verges. There were two or three Green Sandpipers and a Common. The Common flew towards the hide and veered away at the death. It must have seen my silhouette. It disappeared out of sight in the grassy bank. Ten minutes or so later, I could see movement in the grass in front of me. In anticipation I lifted the camera up. Up the bank came the Common Sandpiper and stopped on a raised tuft of sandy grass. He clearly wasn't expecting to see me still there, but I enjoyed our moment together. These birds are quite small and usually viewed through a scope or binoculars at distance, so to get one so close was superb. I didn't even have to crop my images.

Common Sandpiper

Here is one of the Green Sandpipers at the more socially acceptable distance. Much darker in the upper parts with nice white underparts and greenish legs.

Common Snipe

RSPB Frampton Marsh pt1

Last Friday saw me head down to my parents for the weekend. Along the way I planned to stop off at a few places to try and pick up some new birds for the year. Waders were what I was really after. My favourite birds, and it is just getting to that time when they are heading back after breeding. 

A nice early arrival and I could see many birds on the water just from the car park. I followed the path and made frequent stops to look over the reeds. I could see lots of Black-tailed Godwits, Spoonbills, and 100+ Little Egrets. The most I'd seen ever of this species in one place.

Only one hide was open, with all windows and doors open and hand sanitiser which was good to see. Only me in there though for half an hour and lots of birds to look at. A few Common Terns were fishing close in with Dunlins, Ruff and a few Spotted Redshank and Little Stint for company. Greenshanks, Green and Common Sandpipers helped to swell the wader numbers.

Black-tailed Godwit

A Godwit here still in most of it's breeding plumage with an Avocet in the background.

Dunlin

Common Tern