Back to reality

After 2 and a half weeks in South Africa (of which more to follow...), it has been back to reality, birding the patch. Mark Dawson found a Wood Sand on my first day back (Friday), on the partially dewatered Wharf Pit, which remained until Sunday at least. This pit looks great, although water levels have been creeping back up, and has also held a Black-wit, up to 3 Greenshank (new for PWC 2017), up to 9 Green Sands, 2 Common Sands, single juv Ringed Plover and LRP, up to 7 Snipe, and up to 20 Little Egrets. We'll see what the coming days and weeks bring - a Pec Sand would be nice. 

Wood Sand with a Greenshank

Wharf Pit

Mons Pool, by contrast, has been disappointing, as all the water that has come out of Wharf Pit has gone there. The Garganey lingers, although it has always been hiding when I've looked for it. And that's about it, apart from 3 Curlew, contributing to patch wader diversity. 

I also had a look at Cotham Landfill on Friday, and realised I'd forgotten what I was doing with gulls. As well as quite a few ringed LBBGs (which I'm in the process of tracking the origins of), there was were looked like a juvenile Caspian, and an adult (or near adult), although both potentially had issues which I need to look into more closely when I have time. Pics below. 

More Yellow-legs

On Tuesday night I called into Kilvington Lakes on the way home. There were a small number of large gulls present, mainly LBBGs but also 3 adult or near adult Yellow-legs, and at least 2 juvs, including the one photo'd below with a juv LBBG.