Colyford Common Update

Yellow Wagtail, Colyford Common (Copyright T D Wright)

Curlew Sandpiper, BHM, Sept. '17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Spotted Redshank, Colyford Common (Copyright T D Wright)

Curlew Sandpiper, Colyford Common, 16/09/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Curlew Sandpiper, BHM, 17/09/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Water Rail & Little Egret, Colyford Common (Copyright T D Wright)

Greenshank, Coly Common (Copyright T D Wright)

I've recently started to see a bit more at Colyford Common LNR which has, for too long, been overshadowed by BHM. On Saturday, it seemed as if nothing new was about as only Ruff and Greenshank plus usual small waders were on BHM. As it was high tide, I thought I'd give Coly Common a go as the recent Least Sandpiper reminded us it can still put BHM in the shade at times. I've also been seeing Yellow Wags and the odd Wheatear up there plus up to 30 Blackwits from the boardwalk. On arrival, I scanned the scrape from the hide and...nothing! However, I noticed a couple of Greenshanks on the close pool plus Water Rails so stayed. I then heard the chewit call of the Spotted Redshank that some people thought had gone and scanned the scrape. There it was, the only wader on the main scrape! After a few minutes, some Curlew and Blackwits flew in. Among them was our lone Barwit, which was another addition to the day's list. Great, I thought; there's a couple of Dunlin as well. Scoping the 2 'Dunlin', I noticed that one was actually a Curlew Sandpiper. Our first of the Autumn! Brilliant. I put the news out and it was duly twitched by several locals. It then flew off to BHM where it still remains today. Unfortunately, Coly Common scrape is not so good as BHM for photography, which is why it gets neglected at times what with the photographers outnumbering the birders round here! (Just a joke, folks!).

Curlew Sand & Dunlin, Colyford Common 16/09/17 (Copyright T D Wright)