Pectoral Sandpiper at Wilstone Reservoir (9/9/11)

A few days ago I decided to go to see the Pectoral Sandpiper that had been staying at Wilstone Reservoir. I had packed my bags ready to leave the next day straight after school had finished at 3:30. On the day I came home and got ready. I left my home at 3:45 and was on my way I arrived at Wilstone Reservoir around 4:15 and ran straight to the pier were it had been seen from I had looked up on Herts Bird Club if it was still there and seen it was so I have no idea why I was in such a rush. I looked for it with my binoculars and could only see a small spec which looked like a Pectoral Sandpiper but I was not 100% sure fortunately someone kindly showed me the bird through their scope and I recognised it straight away as a Juv. Pectoral Sandpiper later I found out it was a female. I came back after walking half way round the reservoir when I saw my brother with his scope we managed to get some good looks at it and I also managed to film it with my camcorder.

 luckily it was not to far away.

Also later we found a juv. Black Tern flying around the reservoir and over our heads.

Tring Reservoirs

WILSTONE RESERVOIR

We left the house around 6 to catch the 6:27 train to Tring we got to Tring at about 6:42 and cycled the rest of the to Wilstone Reservoir. We arrived and went straight to the pier to find the Little Stint. we searched for about 10 seconds and then found the Little Stint we put it in the scope and began examining it. after a while I decided to digi scope the Little Stint with my iPod touch which has a camera.

feeding

not feeding

We stayed there for a while looking at the Ringed Plovers and even saw a Peregrine fly past.

After this we moved on to the hide onto the way we passed some birders who had found a Whinchat in one of the fields next to the reservoir. As it sat on the thistle we were able to have a very rare viewing opportunity which also allowed me again to take some digi scopes of it. As well as the Whinchat a Blackcap was sitting in one of the hedges on the field.

After a while of looking at it and taking pictures we moved on.

When we arrived at the hide I decided to take a scan as I looked round the reservoir one bird popped right out and I almost instantly recognized it as a juv. Ruff. We stayed in the hide for a while and saw a Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank and had a brilliant view of 3 Hobbies (1 being a juv.) The juv. Hobby was showing the best swooping in front of the hide and landing on the ground which allowed us to inspect the plumage and identify it as a juv.

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR

After Wilstone Reservoir we went to Startop's End reservoir were we found another juv. Ruff this time though I was able to digi scope it and film it.

here is a small video I put together of our trip.

We did go to Incombe Hole but we saw nothing so I have skipped it out.

 

music by Ian Butcher and Steven Faux