November 2011

27th. An afternoon visit to Chew, and some excellent birds from Stratford Hide - 6 Bewick's swans, male red-breasted merganser, at least 2 goosander, grey phalarope, jack snipe, 45 dunlin and the sharp-tailed sandpiper (grotty photos below). The wing bar is less conspicuous than in the dunlin. Just as it got dark I picked up the distant greater northern diver in front of Denny Island.

19th. An amazing selection of birds at Chew Valley Lake - the juvenile SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER moved there after leaving Blagdon Lake. Also present from Herriot's Bridge were the 2 long-billed dowitchers, the spotted sandpiper, c30 dunlin, a stint (presumably little), 6 Bewick's swans and an adult winter Mediterranean gull. The sharp-tailed sandpiper was always distant - I think there are 33 previous British records, hence the bird attracted big crowds.

Postscript December 2011. The stint was later identified from photographs as a semipalmated sandpiper. I was never convinced it was a little stint, even with the rubbish views obtained. Full story here.

During late afternoon there was some excellent light for photography, and I took these photos of juvenile/first-winter common gulls.

6th. In the morning I photographed this snow bunting in excellent winter light at Channel View Farm sea wall, near Kingston Seymour.