Marsh Double

Sorry for the recent lack of postings – I have had a few technical problems!

I popped down to Inner Marsh Farm this morning as recently my local patch has been bringing in the bacon so to speak.

Today was no exception. Cracking views of two Marsh Harriers – one a pristine juvenile – hunting over the set aside and later, inexplicably, over the wood and a smattering of waders were ample reward for the few that chose to brave the rain.

One of the two Wood Sandpipers that were present on Sunday evening was still lingering, although views of it skulking in the border pool were disappointing.

More impressive was a juvenile Greenshank that as one fellow birder brilliantly put it: looked like it had had a spray job that very morning.

Five Ruff and a recently winter-plumage attired Spotted Redshank were also on the manor accompanied by a couple of hundred Lapwing and a handful of Blackwits.

No sign of any Green Sandpipers though – last Thursday seven dropped-in from out of nowhere and one or two have been seen recently loitering in the margins.

Incidentally, my recollections of the seven sandpipers will be forever marred by the memory of sitting next to a man who smelled like a dentist’s waiting room. This surely cannot be a good thing.

Until later.