Quality not Quantity

18th May - I have been moaning about the lack of waders through the site this year and numbers wise, there have not been many, but the species list is rolling along quite nicely.  This afternoon, agitated by my inability to twitch the Kent Dusky Thrush, I was pleased to take a call from Alan S.  He and the regular Saturday crew had just found 2 small waders with a Ringed Plover and thought they were probably Temminck's Stints, but they were viewing at distance from the south bank and were walking around for a closer look.  I was soon on site, passing Ash S on my way who was oblivious to the waders' presence, who followed me to the lake edge.  The group of 3 waders were soon in the scope and were indeed 2 fine Temminck's Stints and a Ringed Plover.  I went to the viewpoint to find Alan S et al enjoying the birds from there - another quality find.  The birds were on view at the closest point they could be to the bank, but they were so small that they kept getting obscured amongst exposed roots.  As ever, I took some record shots, but the camera's auto-focus was struggling to pick out the waders to focus on!

Nice size comparison to a Lapwing

 

Record of the 3 birds together

I have seen a Temminck's Stint here before - a 2 day bird in May 2008, but I think this is only the 25th record for Bucks, or thereabouts, so pretty scarce and some compensation for missing the Dusky Thrush!

The previous morning found the usual suspects of a pair of Oystercatchers, a LRP and 2 Shelduck, though a brief Little Egret was unseasonal.