Scotney - mild, cloudy, E 2 - Overcast conditions for another trip to search for this week`s Buff-breasted Sandpiper which had been relocated yesterday on a sheep fold next to an old gravel pit lake out back. Eventually, after an hour spent grilling the field, along with a handful of locals, it magically appeared right in front of us and was most confiding. It was easy to see when running around on the turf, but when it moved onto the shingle it melted into the background and was very difficult to follow. After an hour or so it flew to the far side of the field and out of view. A cracking little Nearctic wader and oddly enough very close to the site of one discovered at Scotney a few years ago. Whilst there Dave Scott captured some brilliant video of it in action; see below. On the walk across the farmland large numbers of feral geese, Starlings, Lapwings and Golden Plovers swirled overhead, while the stubble fields and rough margins attracted flocks of mostly Linnets, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, plus Reed Buntings, Pied and Yellow Wagtails, Tree Sparrows and several Wheatears. The road side fields held hundreds more feral geese, Lapwings and Starlings along with eight Ruffs, two Redshanks and two Curlews.
Buff-breasted Sandpiper - by Dave Scott
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