Dotterel at Landguard

A juvenile Dotterel was found at Landguard yesterday and was reported again this morning so after checking the Jims didn't want to travel for it I set off alone and arrived at 12 o'clock setting a couple of hours in the car park I walked out to the point to find several birders searching for the Dotterel but they said the bird hadn't been seen since about 9.30am when the report went out. I set about searching and walked out to the point checking the roped off area as I went. Three Wheatear a Turnstone and a lovely Purple Sandpiper were my reward for the walk and I sat down to watch and photograph the Purp which soon came closer as I sat still by the pier. It had a dispute with the Turnstone which they settled and then tolerated each other well after that.

Aware I had only another 45minutes on the car park I walked back down the beach outside of the roped area of course. There was still six people standing between the roped areas scanning for the Dotterel but to my great surprise as I walked back scanning the area as I went I found the Dotterel when it hadn't been seen for four hours. It walked up and down in the dips of the desert area and I put news on to Birdguides and when it dropped below the ridge I tried to let the other birders know I'd found it but they seemed to be all looking elsewhere and didn't notice by raised arm. Within five minutes the bird had taken off flying low towards the other birders but it then caught the wind and flew high before using the wind to take it south and over the bay where I followed it all the way across to Harwich and beyond. I told the other guys that I'd found the bird but it had flown south on in my opinion was unlikely to return as it would have to fly directly into the wind to do that. I took ten images five minutes apart and put news out twice within six minutes to highlight how short my encounter with the bird was but I left very happy to have seen it. I guess it supports my theory that sometimes you have to walk away from the crowd if you're to find the bird.

The year list stands at 232 and leaves me needing just the one tick to avoid a new low.

NB: I've added the bird tentatively to my Essex list as I'm happy I had it in view as it made land on the Essex side of the harbour.