Sandpipers at RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands 26th July 2013

Sandpipers at RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands 26th July 2013

After being stuck at home with flu, it was nice to get out for the day and we chose Burton Mere because I had read that there had been sightings of a few Green Sandpipers and a single Wood Sandpiper. So with our hopes raised we drove up there to see what we could see on what was an absolutely glorious day reminiscent of those summer days from childhood; no noise, no wind, blazing sun and the woods and reeds full of butterflies and dragonflies.We arrived at the reception hide and asked about the Sandpipers and they had been seen but only in the distance and they were being a bit elusive. On the water there were plenty of birds, though with Canada Geese, Shelduck, Moorhens and Coots all with chicks in tow. On the small pond to the right of the hide there were Coots, Hoorhen and a Little Grebe. Further out in the main water were Black-tailed Godwits and Black-headed Gulls. Over to the left on the posts in the fields were perched two Buzzards and a Marsh Harrier flew over but I missed that..

We got a bit bored waiting for the Sandpipers so we headed off for the hide down by the reed beds only to find that the water had entirely evaporated from the usual ponds in front of the hide so there were no birds at all. The body of water just in front of Inner Marsh Farm still had some water there so we could see more Black-tailed Godwits and half a dozen Little Egrets. There were a couple of Tufted Ducks and Swifts and Swallows were swooping around scooping up insects throughout the site.

We returned to the main hide and as we did so we ran into one of our birding group colleagues who had just been at the reception hide and he felt sure he had seen both the Green Sandpipers and the solitary Wood Sandpiper though he did say that they were a long way towards the back. He has the most fantastic eyesight (despite wearing glasses) and regularly sees what other don’t. He also has a great ear for bird song that we rely upon often when the birding group is out and about. Anyway, we had a chat and then headed off back to the reception area. Again it was a bit of a job to find them so we went out to the blind on the other side looking for Yellow Wagtails that are reportedly sometimes seen around there. Again no luck but we did walk down to the gate at the end of the lane where the barn is and on a stalk of Cow Parsley we saw a Sedge Warbler singing its heart out and giving us extremely good views and remaining long enough for everyone to get a scoped view of the bird !

We thought we would give it one more try back at the main hide and, lo and behold, right at the back of the water in a little slip of water at the edge of a field we could see first one, then two and eventually four Green Sandpipers – and a Little Ringed Plover. We watched for quite some time before the Wood Sandpiper slipped out of the reeds and into view. It actually ended up in the centre of a group of Green Sandpipers that formed a diamond shape, giving us a chance to see the contrast between Green and Wood. I have to say, though, that they were too far away for me to identify then all positively – especially the Wood Sandpiper. Others were quite certain though so we called them both year ticks.

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetland : Reception Hide

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetland : Far Hide

Bird Sightings : Burton Mere Wetland : Environs