16/05/2023 Carr Lane Pools, Cheshire

Pectoral Sandpiper: Back for a second go at the pec sand and this time my patience paid off. As just after I arrived the bird chased off a wood sandpiper and landed much closer, but only briefly before returning to its favourate island out in the middle of the pool.

Despite missing out on the Temminck's stint, finding a wood sand was certainly a highlight. 

15/05/2023 Carr Lane Pools, Cheshire

Stonechat: I was sitting at home yesterday evening with the baby while she watcthed YouTube on the couch when our WhatsApp pinged. Iggo found a pec sand at Carr Lane pools and sent a brilliant short video of not feeding off Town Lane.

Pec sands are scarce passage migrants from America and Siberia, a few are seen in spring, but the vast majority appear in late summer and autumn so this was a cracking find for Iggo one of the first local birds for spring. 

I arrived and the bird wasn't playing, it remained pretty distant, too distant for may camera but showing well in the open. I waited a few hours hoping it would come closer, but no such luck toady.

Pectoral Sandpiper: These are one of my favourite waders that come to our shores, pec sands are relatives of he sharp-tailed sandpiper, with a grey-brown back, brownest in the summer male, and greyest in winter and yellowish legs. They have a grey breast, sharply demarcated at its lower edge, which gives this species its English name 'pectoral sandpiper'.

Its been a while since I've visited Carr Lane and today was lovely with several flocks of wisest whiszzing swiftly overhead and a lovely looking male stonechat which gave some good views.

Great local bird and a another quality find by Iggo, nice one mate.

29/08/2022 The Audenshaw Reservoirs, Manchester

Pectoral Sandpiper: Bank Holiday Monday twitch to see the local pec sand and red-necked phal, after dropping Dawn and Autumn off at a local museum I headed over and gained assess.  

Dunlin: The pec was closely associating with a single dunlin on No.1 Res. Feeding along the newley exposed rocky spits that have been revealed as the water level continued to drop. 

Dunlin & Pec Sand: I've never seen the water so low here, its crazy. Its so low on No.1 Res that there is vegetation growing in the basin of the reservoir, but this makes for some great birding habitat and looks great at the moment. 
 

07/09/2014 Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB

Pectoral Sandpiper: What a superb day on a superb RSPB nature reserve. OK I will always have a soft spot for BMW but after a day like today you can't but revel in how good it can be.   

After saying hello to some very friendly and familiar faces Gary and I took the trek to Inner Marsh Farm Hide. The hide, like the car park, was chocca but we manged to get a seat and quickly picked out the pec among several Ruff.

Hobby: Out of nowhere came a swooping Hobby that dashed through the startled wader flock.

The Hobby gave everyone in the hide some stunning views as it did a U-turn and tried again.

Eventually the wader flock came back and touched down in their usual places, the pec went back on to its mud bank and the Lapwings to roost on the main island.

After the pack of waders had a good shuffle we then spotted 3 Curlew Sandpiper and 2 Little Stint.

Red-necked Phalarope: The phal was still showing well, this time a bit closer while it was spinning in the water foraging for food.

Hobby, Pec sand, Cattle Egret, red neck phal, 2 Little Stint and 3 curlew sands can't be bad!