I arrived just after 9am when one bout of rain had passed and it was just a fine drizzle. The previous evening's Dunlin had departed and there was just the usual pair of LRP and a single Oystercatcher - this bird has a ring on its left leg. The rain started up again, quite light at first but getting steadily heavier and more persistent. I decided to sit (or stand) it out under my brolly - you never know. At about 11am, the rain started to ease off and I was able to come out from under my umbrella. It was now that I saw a mid sized wader flying in low across the end of the spit. At first with it head on, I wasn't sure what it was, but as it banked round and showed me its black armpits, I realised that it was a Grey Plover - result! It flew into the bay of the spit and landed and then proceeded to walk up and down a 20 yard stretch finding plenty to feed on. I took my usual record shots and sent out the usual texts to inform people and then went back to enjoying the bird. It was not in its glorious summer finery yet, but was showing some black spots on the breast and belly. It is a scarce bird here and certainly a patch tick for me.
Hopeful that this might the first of some more passage, I continued my vigil, but to no avail. The Grey Plover flushed, presumably by the local Common Terns taking off around it and flew to the less visible area at the back of the far spit before I left, but was still present.
In the drier early afternoon period, a large number of Swifts had arrived, probably 200+ and were wheeling around giving quite a spectacle. The male Whitethroat was singing away by the cottages when I left and looks to be on territory there.
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