more images of the Baird's Sandpiper at Reculver

Dunlin (left) and a Baird's Sandpiper (right) 

Baird's Sandpiper Reculver

Baird's Sandpiper Reculver

Baird's Sandpiper Reculver

Baird's Sandpiper Reculver

Baird's Sandpiper Reculver

Baird's Sandpiper Reculver

Dunlin and Baird's Sandpiper at Reculver

Dunlin and Baird's Sandpiper

Baird's Sandpiper with Dunlin 

Sad to see the bird has moved on but maybe it's relocated to Oare Marsh with a possible reported there today.

More images from Kent at the weekend

Dunlin

Whinchat

Whinchat

Wheatear

Little Stint, Dunlin and Baird's Sandpiper

Little Stint

Little Star Stint

Little Stint (my new best bird)

Kestrel

Kestrel

Kestrel

Baird's Sandpiper at Reculver

We decided on a trip to Reculver this morning despite knowing we could encounter trouble with the M20 being closed. We set off at 5am and arrived at Reculver towers around 6.30am. With a pound in the pay and display we set off along the sea wall for the mile or so walk to Coldharbour Lagoon.

Little Stint and Dunlin

Little Stint

As we reached the pool three birders had already set up and were watching the Baird's as it mingled at close range with a Little Stint and two Dunlin. The four birds entertained us for the next couple of hours ignoring the stream of birders, dog walkers and cyclists. The Little Stint at times stealing the show as it came even closer than the Baird's which was in itself far from shy and retiring.

Baird's Sandpiper at Reculver

Baird's Sandpiper

As we walked along the footpath we had a surprise late year tick with four Whimbrel and noticed a single Wheatear, two Common Sandpipers, three Sanderling along with a large group of Turnstone and Ringed Plover. Both Pied and Yellow Wagtail numbers were building.

Whimbrel

After a successful twitch we headed over to Dunge where a drive down Gallaways delivered good views of six plus of Whinchat and Wheatear. Another Wheatear was seen along the road to Dunge and another on the beach so numbers are picking up. Things were quiet with reports of Wood Sand and a Glossy Ibis on the reserve the main highlights. A Kestrel posed for the camera before we left with the year list nudged along to 263.

Whinchat

Kestrel

British birds list UPDATE

I put together a quick review of the state of play in British listing last April and it was quite interesting to do so I thought I'd have a quick review a year on and see where we now stand.

As of the June 30th 2016 the official BOU list now stand at 603 so in the year since no fewer than seven firsts for Britain have been accepted.

Firstly the Alder Flycatcher in Cornwall 2008 was accepted. (597)

Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler was officially split and accepted as a new species (598)

Northern Harrier accepted as an official split from Hen Harrier.  (599)

Yelkouan Shearwater was added as the official 600th species although the first record dates back to 2008 with one seen off Berry Head in Devon being the now accepted first for Britain. (600)

Azoean Yellow-legged Gull accepted from a record in Cornwall from 2008 (601)

Chinese Pond Heron from Hythe, Kent in 2014 (602)

Slaty Backed Gull at Rainham in 2011 (603)

Of these I connected only with the Pond Heron and the Slaty-backed Gull

visit   .bou.org.uk/british-list/    for more detail

Of these 603 species

585 sit in Category A
(Species in Category A have been recorded in an apparently natural state at least once since 1 January 1950.)

8 sit in Category B
(Species in Category B have been recorded in an apparently natural state at least once between 1 January 1800 and 31 December 1949, but have not been recorded subsequently.)

Ruddy Shelduck last recorded in 1946
White-faced storm Petrel last recorded in 1897
Egyptian Vulture last recorded in 1868
Spotted Eagle last recorded in 1915
Eskimo Curlew last recorded in 1880
Great Auk last recorded in 1840
Pallas's Gull last recorded in 1859
Red-necked Nightjar last recorded in 1856

and

10 sit in Category C
(Species in Category C, although introduced, now derive from the resulting self-sustaining populations)

Ring-necked Parakeet First recorded in 1969 now over 8600 pairs in the UK
Little Owl First recorded in 1758 now over 5700 pairs in the UK
Golden Pheasant Introduced in the 1870's less than 100 pairs remain in the wild
Lady Amherst's Pheasant Introduced in Bedfordshire in 1890 less than five birds remain
Common Pheasant Introduced in medieval times with an estimated population over two million.
Capercaillie Re - introduced in 1837 less than 1300 birds remain in Britian
Red-legged Partridge Introduced in 1779 and now over 86,000 territories in the UK
Ruddy Duck First recorded in 1949 but due to constant culling less than 50 birds now survive.
Mandarin Duck First recorded in 1866 and now numbers over 7000 wintering birds
Egyptian Goose First recorded in 1898 and now numbers over 3000 wintering birds

Lesser Yellowlegs at Vange Marsh RSPB

I was busy decorating when the Jims called this afternoon asking if I fancied a trip to Vange for an Essex tick and of course I had to go. Arriving at 6.30pm we parked up and walked under the flyover to the railway line. We crossed and walked the field to find six birders spread around the waters edge.
Luckily we had a tip from Dave B to walk to the far end and look back for the best views and he was spot on. Although the bird was distant it was showing well within scope range and we were able to pick it out easily amongst the Redshank, Ruff, Green Sandpipers and Blackwits.

A cracking bird for Vange and if I kept an Essex list this would now be on it but as I don't it's just bird 261 on the year list. (7 birds up on the end of August last year which I find surprising)

hotting up in NORFOLK

Norfolk today where Titchwell delivered a bucket load of waders including Little Stint and 13 Curlew Sandpipers of note along with a couple of Spoonbill.

Reed Bunting Titchwell

The drying barns produced a single Corn Bunting but the best was to come when I connected with both the Red-backed Shrike at West Runton and the Wryneck at Weybourne.

Record shot of the Weybourne Wryneck

Other birds of note were five Whinchat and four Wheatear along with both Spotted and Pied Flycatcher. 

Wheatear

Good to meet John Lewis of Norfolk Wildlife Photgraphy today. Keep on keeping on John and be lucky.

Year list now 160

Balearics at Dungeness and a Bonaparte's at Oare

Birding has been very limited of late save a quick trip to Fairlop in the the week to catch the local Hoopoe so today we decided on a trip to Dunge for a spot of early morning sea watching.
Arriving at 6.30am we were rewarded for a two hour stint with several Arctic Skua, three Manx Shearwater and two Balearics. Gannets, Scoters, Great Crested Grebes, Fulmar, Black, Common and Sandwich Terns all added to the spectacle before we headed off for the reserve which was very quiet save a very obliging Kestrel. I thought I had a Honey Buzzard from the car on the way out and later found one had been seen at Dunge this morning so could be the same bird and I'm now wishing I'd found somewhere to pull over for a better view.

Kestrel at Dungeness

We moved on to Oare Marsh where we eventually found the Bonaparte's Gull which is getting more difficult as it loses it's summer plumage. Also present were six Curlew Sandpiper and two Little Stint.
Other waders on offer here were Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Knot, Ruff, Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit and Greenshank. Yellow Wagtail, Kingfisher , Marsh Harrier, Kestrel and Water Rail also added to the count.

Getting harder to find him.  

Showing the slender black bill and smaller build next to the Black-headed Gull

Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte's at Oare Marsh

Little star.

Bonaparte's in flight

 The water levels are good at Oare and it's attracting good volume and variety.
 I wouldn't be surprised if it turns up something else good this autumn.

Kestrel

Year list now 258

Wheatear at Minsmere

An early start saw us walking Minsmere in search of Swampy without joy as it had seemingly "done a bunk" been eaten or simply decided it likes the deeper section of reeds. Anyway we didn't give much time to scanning the pool and instead decided to enjoy a mornings birding around the reserve.

We picked up a scruffy little Wheatear at the sluice and as usual the Swallows entertained us here.
A Kingfisher was seen along with Sparrowhawk and Bittern while sitting here.

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear at Minsmere

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear at the sluice

From the hides we enjoyed 40+ Little Gulls, 20+ Spotted Redshank, a Green and 2 Common Sandpipers along with the usual Blackwits, Avocets, Ringed Plovers and a few Dunlin.

We moved up the road and plotted up at Westwood Lodge hoping the Honey Buzzards would display but it was a little windy and the targets failed to show. We picked up Tree Pipit and Spotted Flycatcher here to make it a worthwhile stop but left without the Swamphen or Honey Buzzard.

Year list now 254

Swallow

Swallow

Swallow

Swallow