300th British Bird - At last!

Today was quite a significant day for me personally as I saw my 300^th BOU bird in Britain. During the second week of my two week holiday away I received news that a Marsh Sandpiper had turned up at Blacktoft Sands RSPB in East Yorkshire. I love my waders and they are one of my favourite groups of birds so I really wanted to see one of these stunning little waders. There hasn’t been a Marsh Sand in Durham for a long time, I believe the last one was sometime in the 1980’s so a long time ago.

So today I headed down with a few mates, we were alerted from a mates pager that it was still present just as we entered North Yorkshire. After a 2 and a bit more hours journey we arrived at Blacktoft Sands RSPB at about 11AM and we headed straight from the Ousefleet Hide where the Marsh Sandpiper had been seen first thing in the morning. Thankfully when we arrived people were on it already and it was showing from the viewing screen and we enjoyed brilliant if not distant views. We watched the bird for about 15 minutes or so and then it disappeared flying off to the next hide down. So we headed there, on getting into the hide it was showing on an island standing with Spotted Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlins and Redshanks. We enjoyed brilliant views of the bird but it was flushed! It flew around above the water with the other waders and then eventually landed again and this time it was closer and showing pretty well. We enjoyed our best and last views of the day of this cracking Marsh Sandpiper. Was brilliant to study the bird, some mental notes/observations I made:
- Nice delicate and fairly short bill.
- Small arrowhead like marking on the flanks as well as markings on undertail coverts.
- Overall size slightly larger than Green Sandpiper but bird didn't appear as “dumpy”.
- Appeared very long in the leg.
- Legs a yellowish/green colour.
- Overall bird looked like slimmer and smaller Greenshank with a delicate straight bill.

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 (Marsh Sandpiper - Andrew Kinghorn)

  (Marsh Sandpiper - Andrew Kinghorn)

  (Marsh Sandpiper - Andrew Kinghorn)

(Marsh Sandpiper - Andrew Kinghorn)


(Marsh Sandpiper - Andrew Kinghorn)

After having our fill of this stunning bird we headed off to the other hides where we enjoyed 2 Wood Sandpipers, at least 7 Green Sandpipers, a wealth of other waders, Little Egrets, and stunning views of Marsh Harriers including one juvenile which came and sat pretty much right in front of the hide! I managed a video of a bird that was further away which I was well pleased at, hard birds to get videos of. 

 (Little Egrets - Andrew Kinghorn)


 (Little Egret - Andrew Kinghorn)

 (Green Sandpipers - Andrew Kinghorn)


(Green Sandpiper - Andrew Kinghorn)

(Spotted Redshank - Andrew Kinghorn)

(Marsh Harrier - Andrew Kinghorn)

(Marsh Harrier - Andrew Kinghorn)

(Marsh Harrier - Andrew Kinghorn)

Until next time, Foghorn out!