27-8-11, Blithfield Resevoir.

I decided to invade someone elses local patch today. A few decent waders had been seen the previous day so I thought I would be utterly rude and crash the party. Birds noted were Great Spotted Woodpecker, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Wren, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, Mallard, Black Headed Gull, Teal, Canada Geese, Cormorant, Shoveler, Greylag Geese, Lapwing, Great Crested Grebe, Chiffchaff, Greenshank, Coot, Snipe, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Mute Swan, Barnacle Geese, Grey Heron, Swallow, Blackcap, Blackbird, Nuthatch, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sand Martin, Willow Warbler, Little Gull, House Martin, Buzzard, Common Tern, Goldcrest, Gadwall, Redshank, Black-necked Grebe, Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Tufted Duck, Swift, Yellow Wagtail, Magpie and a possible Yellow-legged Gull.
Not a bad four hours, proberbly my best session here covering Tad and Blithe Bay, the causeway and the dam. Unfortunately I missed a couple of Little Stints in Blithe Bay. I scanned as much as possible when I was there but no show. Later I was told they showed up after a heavy rain storm and then flew off again after another heavy shower. I was on the causeway at the time. Wrong place, wrong time.

27-8-11, Branston GP.

I had been at home minutes when the pager showed a Pectoral Sandpiper was present at Branston pits on a flash. I could not go straight away but I was available mid afternoon and made the short ride. Once at Branston pits I noted Chaffinch, Robin, House Sparrow, Pheasant, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Greenfinch, Linnet, Coot, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Canada Geese, Little Egret, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Little Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Teal, Dunlin, Pied Wagtail, Oystercatcher, Moorhen, Ruff, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Reed Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Goldfinch, Shelduck, Curlew, Snipe and Stock Dove.
This visit was laden with mistakes. I had left my phone and pager at home and I headed off to Branston assuming the bird was on Sandy pit. Once at Sandy pit a couple of birders were present looking at what they thought was the Pectoral Sandpiper. It was pretty distant and views were not brilliant with it constantly feeding but it looked good. Another bad mistake. I headed off to Long-tailed Duck pit and then over the conveyor belt to check another pool, all the while unaware of the flash not far away. Whilst scanning the last pool I decided to head over to the two birders and query the sandpiper. Something was bugging me. I approached them and said I was not happy with the bird, I think its a Dunlin. Another wader turned up, a possible Wood Sandpiper but also views were distant so id was not confirmed.