I had spoken to Steve and Erik
last night to see if they were interested in going to Frampton if a
Broad-billed Sandpiper was still present tomorrow. Steve had already thought about it and
thought Terry would be happy to go, particularly as I agreed to drive. I agreed with Erik that we would meet in the
Egleton car park at Rutland Water and then go if the bird was there.
I arrived at Rutland Water at
around 07:30 and informed Steve that I was on site but that there was no news
as yet and agreed we would meet in the car park at 09:00.
I decided to walk down the
service road to Sandpiper Hide on Lagoon Four and saw a couple of Chiffchaffs
and a Treecreeper before I reached the hide.
There was an Oystercatcher, six Little Ringed Plovers and two Ringed
Plovers on the exposed mud in front of the hide and also found a Common
Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper and a Redshank on the lagoon. There were also twenty-eight Little Egrets
and twelve Yellow-legged Gulls on the lagoon but finding nothing else I just
had time to visit Lagoon Three before having to head back to the car park.
The female Gadwall was still
escorting the six young ducklings and the four juvenile Shelduck were all still
present. There was another Little Egret
on the lagoon and a couple Reed Warblers just in front of the hide. The bright sunlight made it difficult to view
most of the lagoon and so I headed back to the car park.
I went along the summer trail
where I had a brief view of a male Blackcap but had seen nothing else when I
reached the car park. The Broad-billed
Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper had now both been reported and Steve and Terry
were already in the car park and keen to go.
However there was no sign of Erik and after a few minutes I gave him a
call but didn’t get a response and thought he was probably on his way. He called a few minutes later and he hadn't
even left home but did want to come and so we drove into Oakham and picked him
up before we headed off to Frampton.
Other than a Red Kite as we
approached Tallington we had seen nothing of note before we reached Frampton
Marsh. We were surprised to find the car
park pretty full despite the good birds as it was a week day.
We were soon ready and headed off
to the 360 Hide, which is where both birds were being seen. When we arrived in the hide it was pretty
full, particularly down the east side and there was a guy who was partially
blocking the door. I opened the door
slowly and then realised it was Gerry, who then told me that the Broad-billed
had flown off about thirty minutes ago and hadn’t been seen since. Two of the regulars at Eyebrook Reservoir
were also present and I looked through one of their scopes for a brief view of
the Pectoral Sandpiper.
As the hide was so congested I
moved to the other side to see if I could see a Curlew Sandpiper and as I was
beginning to check out a probable bird Steve announced that the Broad-billed
Sandpiper was showing just to the right of where most people were viewing. I moved and managed to get my tripod and
scope in a position where I could see the area and almost immediately found the
bird amongst a few Dunlin. It was just
too far away to photograph but was providing excellent views through the scope
and I was able to watch it for a while but eventually got frustrated with
people bobbing back and forwards blocking my view. The worst offenders seemed to be the two guys
that were sitting and viewing through the window I was trying to look through
but they seemed oblivious of people behind them trying to see the bird.
I moved back to the windows on
the other side to refocus on finding a Curlew Sandpiper of which I eventually
saw three. The number of Dunlin in the
area was incredible and I suspected that there was probably several hundred. There were also good numbers of Black-tailed
Godwits and a few Avocets and several Little Ringed Plovers, Ringed Plovers and
Ruff and a single Common Sandpiper. Erik
then found a adult Mediterranean Gull between the hide and the East Hide.
The crowd eventually began to
thin and we were able to gain access to the other side of the hide and found a
couple more Curlew Sandpipers. There was
also at least 100 Knot on this side and I then realised the number of Dunlin
present was almost certainly in excess of 1000.
I re-found the Pectoral Sandpiper close to where I had initially seen it
but was now able to get a better view without jostling for position. I moved slightly and soon relocated the
Broad-billed Sandpiper again and this time I was able to watch it without heads
moving back and forward across the scope.
As I scanning further a field there were Dunlin everywhere but I
couldn’t find the two reported Little Stints, although I did pick up a
Greenshank.
Steve had, had brief views of
a Barn Owl but it dropped out of sight before any of us got on it and
unfortunately didn’t reappear but we did all managed to see a Yellow Wagtail he
found.
Avocet
Juvenile Ringed Plover
Juvenile Little Ringed Plover
Juvenile Little Ringed Plover
Dunlin
Dunlin
Dunlin
Dunlin
Dunlin
Dunlin
We eventually returned to the
car for lunch and saw several more Yellow Wagtails and a few Tree Sparrows
whilst having lunch but unfortunately no Turtle Doves. Our plan after lunch was to drive to the old
car park near the sea wall to hopefully find a Spotted Redshank and then go to
the reservoir to look for Turtle Doves.
On reaching the old car park
we walked up the bank to reach the top of the sea wall to view the marsh. There were more Dunlin and a few Snipe
feeding just north-west of the wall and then on a slightly bigger area of water
we found two Spotted Redshanks along with another Ruff. There was a single Brent Goose amongst a
flock of Canada Geese and then Steve found a Spoonbill, doing what they do
best, sleeping but it did eventually begin feeding. The salt marsh was fairly quiet but we did
see three Marsh Harriers and I heard a Whimbrel, which Steve and Erik managed
to see before it dropped into a dyke and I then picked up two Greenshanks,
which also dropped out of sight. Dunlin
started to leave the reserve and head out into The Wash in quite sizable
flocks, with some passing quite close.
Dunlin flying to The Wash to feed
With time pressing we left the
sea wall and headed to the reservoir and we were in luck as there was a single
Turtle Dove perched in one of the dead trees, which we heard singing on a
couple of occasions despite it being some distance away. Erik then came into his own and managed to
locate another four, one of which proved difficult for all of us, especially
me, to see.
There were quite a few
hirundines flying over, mainly Sand Martins but there were also a few Swallows
and I picked up a single House Martin and there were also a few Swifts and a
Buzzard. Three Green Sandpipers flew
over which were our nineteenth wader of the day and we had seen then all at
Frampton.
Satisfied and delighted with
an excellent day’s birding we set off back to Rutland Water but had seen very
little by the time we pulled into the car park at Egleton. Terry left but Erik, Steve and I went to view
Lagoon One from the centre. After about
ten minutes there appeared to be very little and I left with the intention of spending
some time at Eyebrook Reservoir.
Just as I was entering
Uppingham, Steve called to say that Erik had found a Wood Sandpiper on the long
island and was checking to see if I was still there. I wasn’t but as I was only five minutes away
I went back and thankfully the adult Wood Sandpiper was still foraging at the
edge of the island, although it often disappeared into the vegetation.
I then noticed what I thought
would be a Tufted Duck with a brood just off the end of the long island but on
getting the scope on it, it was a Little Grebe escorting three tiny young. Steve then noticed a forth bird quite some
distance behind, which appeared slightly smaller than the other three. The Little Grebe continued to lead the young
towards us and the forth bird had clearly made some ground up but when I looked
a few minutes later we could see the Little Grebe and three young but there was
no sign of the forth bird.
The journey back was worth it
for a County year-tick and patch-tick and it being my twentieth wader of the
day was a fitting end. My patch list now
stands at 149 with the points total at 182.
I did call very briefly at
Eyebrook Reservoir on route home and saw a Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper
along with three Little Egrets at the inlet and I had a Buzzard on the way home
near Stonton Wyville.
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