Blowing Out The Cobwebs

I really was tired this morning but I made the effort and got up early and was on my way down the marsh at 7 oclock to blow out the cobwebs.

I parked the car and wandered over to see what waders were around.

I could see about a hundred Little stint and eight Curlew sandpiper mixed in with about twenty Ruff.Then I noticed another pair of smallish waders feeding with the stint.Very pale silvery -grey -looking birds with black legs.I am almost sure they were Sanderling(since confirmed),yet another lifer as there has been no Sanderling here for at least two years.

Ruff 

 Just then some movement distracted me .From the corner of my eye I saw a Roller flying across and landing in a figtree.Again I was shooting into the sun so the shot was'nt a good one especially at 50 yards, but yet another lifer for me so I was really chuffed.

  Roller

On the way back up the track to the marsh I saw some Woodchat shrike and a Lesser grey shrike and some Black -headed bunting,Cretzschmars bunting also a lovely -looking male Golden oriole,but did'nt manage to get a photo,maybe next time. 

 Cretschmars Bunting

As I came around the bend in the track passing the shepherd's huts I could see what at first looked like a Kestrel preening itself in a fig tree,but as soon as I got the scope out I could see it was a lovely -looking Red footed falcon the first one back this year.

 Yet another lovely morning out and about on my patch .