Pectoral Sandpiper

Well, having said we'd seen and photographed a Pectoral Sandpiper yesterday, it turns out we had seen one, but neither ID'd nor photographed it, instead I'd got all excited over a distant Wood Sandpiper. Today we set about correcting the error. So, here is a Pectoral Sandpiper:















The Pectoral Sandpiper then wandered over and joined a couple of Wood Sandpipers:
















This shot really helps with the differences in both plumage and bill shape and they are indeed quite distinctive. Whilst watching the Sandpipers and Ringed Plovers a pair of Greenshank flew in and joined the mud party. They were very vocal and flighty and a positive delight:

















The reeds and grasses are tall but it was still possible to get a reasonable picture from distance:




















Finally the pair of them wandering along feeding:














Sometimes they ran along 'skimming' for food, at other times they 'waded'. Great birds.

So with the Pectoral Sandpiper, our first new UK and life bird since Scotland, we're up to 655 unique species overall, of which we've seen 225 in the UK. We recently removed a number of sightings that on reflection could have been enthusiasm and weren't sufficiently proven on the basis we want to be as sure as possible. Next target is 1,000 life birds :)