Waders and Whinchat

The 13th, 14th and 15th August proved to be something of a purple patch, relatively speaking - and in terms of my garden list. From the bedroom window, I managed to scope 33 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff, a second-year Mediterranean Gull, 5 Common Sandpiper and 6 Dunlin on the river - all on the 13th August - as well as a Barn Owl perched on a post nearby. On the 14th, I was thrilled to get my first 100% positive on-the-deck identification of Green Sandpiper for the house list - no less than 4 in fact (!), again on the river (as well as a couple of Commons for comparison) and later on, 3 Greenshank. (Previous sightings of Green Sandpiper had been of birds in flight only.) And finally, on the 15th, I found 2 Ruff on the river and a Whinchat (only my second for the peninsula) and three Wheatear just a short trek from the house.